Fallout 4: Purple
by CloudF11
Summary: (HIATUS STARTING 2-17-17. FIRST TWENTYISH CHAPTERS WILL BE REWRITTEN) The color purple is made up of two other colors; blue and red. / A m!ss x Piper story. 99.9% SFW. Implied nsfw stuff. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll curl up into a ball due to both the fluff and the angst. Enjoy!
1. The Beginning

**NOTE:** _the first twenty or so chapters have been rewritten! If you're reading this for the first time, don't worry about it. But if you've read this already, please take the time to reread it! This goes for this chapter up to about chapter 20ish. More about the rewrites and hiatus will be at the end._

[-]

Jack Schmidt stood before the door of Publick Occurrences on a chillingly cold November night.

His hands shook as he reached to knock on the door. He had nowhere else to be at the moment; Nick was back at the Red Rocket, resting after the fight with Eddie Winter. He had already gone to find his son, only to be disappointed, and Preston didn't have any work for him to do. All his companions were cozy in Sanctuary, so what else was there to do? He had some time on his hands, and he hadn't seen Diamond City's only reporter since before he went to the Memory Den in Goodneighbor.

The pre-war vault dweller felt bad- Jack had traveled all over Timbuctoo, doing so much in just the matter of a month with Nick and the other companions. And yet, he seemed to completely overlook the quirky, spontaneous and snarky Piper Wright. Jack was amazed by her ability to stand up for what she believed in. From what he had seen and gathered from their interview, the two seemed to share identical ideals.

He wanted to bring her along on his adventures and to rid the Commonwealth of its boogeyman- become her friend. Yet, there was one thing that kept him from doing so all this time: she reminded him _so much_ of Nora.

Jack hesitated to knock on the door. When he finally brought himself to do so, he was greeted by two bright hazel-green eyes and a shining smile. "Blue!" Piper exclaimed. "Come on in."

He shot her a friendly smile in return as he stepped through the door. The home was mostly quiet, other than the usual creak of the walls and their voices. "How has the journalist life been working out for ya?" Jack asked, crossing his arms as Piper took a seat on the couch.

"Oh, you know, the same ole stuff," she began. "Death threats, complaints, the occasional angry citizen knocking at my door. Totally worth it."

"Death threats?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow. "The folks here must really hate you, then."

"Yeah, they do, but they don't have the damn nerve to carry out anything they say they'll do. Lucky me," Piper explained. "Anyway, what's been goin' on with you? Did ya end up going to the Institute and findin' your son?"

Jack's eyes dropped to the floor at hearing her question. "Yeah…. Yeah, I-I did."

"What happened?"

 _Damn her and her nosiness._ "Nick and I went straight to the Glowing Sea and then built the transporter back at Sanctuary," he began, fiddling with a string on his glove. "The Institute… it's clean. Nothing like it is here in the Commonwealth, but nothing like my old home."

"What do ya mean?" the reporter asked, leaning into the back of the couch.

"White walls, white floors…. White everything," Jack tried to explain. "Everything you'd assume would be in the stereotypical futuristic comic book, if that makes any sense."

Piper nodded as he continued. "Turns out, I'm sixty years late. Sixty years ago, Kellogg killed my wife, Nora. Sixty years ago, my boy was taken. Shaun's the damn leader of the Institute."

"I…. I'm sorry, Blue, I didn't know," Piper told him, giving him her condolences. "You haven't gotten a break yet, have you?"

"No," he admitted. "I've been working my ass off since the day I left the damn vault." _I haven't slept in a week._

Jack noticed her look down momentarily. As Piper looked back up at him, he looked away from her. Uncomfortable and unnecessary silence filled the room like water in a pool, nearly drowning both of them. "Do you… want to crash here for the night?" she asked, finally breaking the silence.

"No I-I can go to the Dugout Inn, it ain't a big deal," Jack turned down her offer. _Like I'm going to sleep anyways._

"Come on, Blue. You look like you're about to pass out," Piper attempted to persuade him. "I don't need my pre-war friend fallin' and getting' hurt." _Friend._

"Piper-"

"I won't take 'no' for an answer. Sleep here tonight- it's a shorter distance than to the Dugout Inn. Plus, it's free."

"Fine," Jack said with a sigh.

"I'll take the couch for tonight. My bed's upstairs, go ahead and crash there," Piper told him with a smile.

"You sure? It's your house… I can take the couch," Jack said. It was Piper's home, after all. She had every right to put him on the couch, yet she insisted he sleep in her bed. _She's too nice to this old soldier for both of our own good._

"Hundred percent. I'll be fine on the couch for a night, go take my bed," she insisted.

Jack nodded in response, carrying his stuff upstairs and laying it down next to the bed. The scent of newspapers and ink reached his nose. He took in the scent that he seemed to enjoy so much as he eyed the second floor. It was small: a bed, desk and terminal occupied the room. To his right was a door, which he assumed led to the roof of the Publick. As he let himself lay down on a bed for the first time in a week, he felt the ache in his muscles and the pain on the side of his head.

He grabbed his bag and rummaged through it, pulling out one of the many holotapes he had. On it read the name of Nora's favorite pre-war song. It wasn't like the usual music they always heard, but she enjoyed it. Jack thanked whatever god was watching over him that the holotapes with all their favorite songs had been saved after the bombs dropped. He slid the tape into his Pip-Boy and turned the volume down before resting his head on the pillow. The song played just loud enough for him to hear it.

It started out with simple elevator-like music, and into French words that he could understand.

 _Elle etait plus que parfaite mais je l'aimais a l'imparfait. Nous parlions du futur avec nos prenoms composes._

The words flowed through the speaker of his Pip-Boy. Hearing the foreign words brought Jack back to his high-school days momentarily, where he took a class to learn the language.

 _J'ai compose un temps pour que l'on se refugiasse, mais j'suis pas tres literaire sans une batterie et une basse._

French words evolved into English words _. I call for your help, like a 911. You pick up the phone, and you say 'hang on.' Then you throw the phone, in the air, and you run._

 _You are like pure speed meta, amphetamine. Your goddess turns water into, gasoline. You're a mona lisa or a venus, in furs. A superhero knight, in shiny metal spurs. You're the best girl, the best girl._

Before he could get through the entire song, Jack drifted off into a very much needed sleep.

[-]

Jack awoke with a start to the sound of beeping. His teeth chattered as he violently shivered. As his vision cleared up, he found himself behind a window. Ice seemed to thaw away from the window, giving him a view of Nora across from him in her decontamination pod. He watched as a woman in a hazmat suit approached his wife's pod, followed by a bald man. The woman pointed at the pod. Her words were muffled by the thick layer of steel between him and the rest of the vault. _"This is the one."_

He watched on, helpless, as the bald man murdered the love of his wife and took his child. _"At least we still have the backup."_

Jack sat up the moment he woke up. _Just… just a nightmare._ He shivered, despite still wearing his riot coat and his flannel underneath it. His breathing was faster than normal. He took deep breaths, trying to alleviate the panic attack before it got worse. Looking down at his Pip-Boy, he pulled out the holotape and checked the time. _3:56 am_ _._ It was the most sleep he had gotten in a while, even if it was only a few hours of sleep.

He felt his mind wander to the nightmare. _You couldn't save Nora. And now, you lost Shaun, too. Heh. Pathetic._ How many times had he had that same exact nightmare? _Too many to count._ Shaking his head, he emerged from the comfort of the bed and stepped down the stairs, trying to avoid the stairs' inevitable creak to no avail. Jack's eyes wandered to Piper sleeping on the couch. Her hat was discarded on the floor next to a comic book. Nat, her little sister, seemed to also be asleep, for the entire home was as quiet as the dead of night.

The reporter didn't even put in the effort to exchange her work clothes for more comfortable clothes. _Just like Nora always was,_ Jack found himself thinking. The memories of many late nights flashed back to his mind, where Nora would spend most of the night working on one thing or another. Eventually, she would come to bed, too tired to discard her day clothes. The thought brought a smile to Jack's face. He missed her so much, _goddammit._

He glanced at Piper once more. And now, he has something to remind him that she's actually gone. Jack picked up Piper's hat and placed it on the arm of the chair before heading back up the stairs. Something felt odd inside him, yet he just couldn't pinpoint it.

Disregarding the odd feeling, he assumed it was due to his horrible sleep deprivation and return to his slumber.

* * *

 _As of February 17, 2017, Purple is on a hiatus. I am rewriting chapters one through twenty-one simply for the reason to make it more enjoyable for you, the reader. This is my first big fanfic, and so when I started, I had amateur skills. Now, my writing has improved tenfold and I wish to rewrite it both for myself and for you guys._

 _My motivation for rewriting is slowly dwindling, as is my motivation for this entire fanfic itself. I would very much appreciate that you leave a comment, as that's a huge confidence booster and overall makes me want to write more. I will keep writing as long as I am enjoying it and so are you- that's what keeps me going. I am open to constructive criticism (the first time this happened, I made a friend!) as long as it will help me in the long run. Hell, I'll accept keyboard smashes. Just let me know, I thrive off of your thoughts._

 _To new readers, I recommend only reading the ones I have rewritten and to wait for the others to be rewritten, or read it over on AO3. All rewritten chapters have actual names now, and once I am done with rewrites, I will give all chapters names (and this message will disappear.) Thank you for being so supportive of this fic._


	2. Holotapes and Noodles

The sounds of a prerecorded voice awoke Piper from her sleep.

The reporter slowly stood up from the couch, searching for her press cap only to find it on the arm of the couch. _I thought I left you on the floor,_ Piper thought as she grabbed her signature hat and fixed it on her head. Before she headed upstairs, Piper checked up on Nat. The younger Wright sister was awake, reading a copy of Grognak the Barbarian while still lying in bed.

"Mornin' kiddo," Piper chirped, knocking on the wall with her fist. Nat groaned in response, covering her head with the comic book. "You got school today."

"Do I have to go?" she whined, poking her eye out from underneath the comic book.

Piper nodded. "Go get some breakfast, Nat. There's one cup of noodles left for you in the fridge."

"Noodles again?" she groaned as she leapt out of bed.

"That's all we can afford at the moment, kiddo," Piper told her little sister. "The upper stands have all the expensive stuff. We can only afford so much."

"Alright," Nat sighed, passing by her older sister and heading towards the fridge. Piper smiled at her sister before heading upstairs. She stopped on one of the stairs, listening intently to the voice. She could only assume it was coming from Jack's Pip-Boy.

" _-It's been an amazing year. But even so, I know our best days are yet to come. There'll be changes, sure. Things we'll need to adjust to. You'll rejoin the civilian workforce, I'll shake the dust off my law degree… But everything we do, no matter how hard, we do it for our family. Now say goodbye, Shaun. Bye bye? Say bye bye? Bye honey, we love you."_

Piper lowered her head as the realization hit her. _That was… his wife._ She began to step down the stairs to leave Jack to his own devices, only to be startled by his sudden booming voice. "Don't. I know you were there, it's fine." His voice was hoarse and quiet, and Piper immediately wanted to do whatever she could to help the poor man.

The reporter reluctantly joined Jack, leaning against the wall across from her bed. She didn't know how to make him feel comfortable; heck, she was at a loss of words- and that _never_ happened. Seeing this man that she had only met a month ago in such a state of grief tugged at the heart strings; Piper wouldn't want anyone else to go through what she had in the past with her father.

Her mouth and her brain didn't exactly work together, and suddenly she's babbling like a junkie on chems. "What- I, uh- what was… goddammit…" She felt her cheeks burning in embarrassment and looked away, hiding it. Before continuing, the usually articulate Piper cleared her throat to cover up her moment of weakness. "What- if you don't mind me asking… what was she like?"

As Jack looked up, she immediately regretted asking him. _There you go again, Piper. Bein' too damn nosy._ She could see two hundred years' worth of exhaustion in his eyes- as if he hadn't slept those two centuries in his locked away cryopod. She could see the weight that was being carried on his soul in those hazy blue eyes of his. His eyes were full of dark turmoil despite his eyes being such a bright blue color. Piper had to take a moment to remember whether or not the nickname she gave him was because of the vault suit or his captivating eyes.

"I-I'm sorry if-"

"No-it's… it's fine," he interrupted her, waving her off. Jack took a deep breath, preparing himself to continue. "She was… a lawyer. Always gave people a… a fair trial. Heh… I remember back in college how she used to complain about how much she hated Environmental Law…"

"You went to college with her?"

"Yeah," he replied with a half-hearted chuckle. "We… we met there. Over a lighter, believe it or not."

"A lighter?" Piper was intrigued, to say the least. Her curiosity was definitely getting to her.

He gave the first genuine smile that Piper had seen from him. Perhaps prying was a good thing. "Heh, yeah… funny story. I was unpacking stuff in my dorm, and the lighter happened to be outside my door, just lying on my floor. Went to pick it up, and when I stood back up, there she was. The most beautiful person I had ever laid eyes on. We clicked immediately." The smile faded, along with the one she had as well. "I miss her. Everything about her."

"I… uh, I know how you feel," Piper began. Perhaps showing empathy would make him feel more comfortable, or at the very least, eliminate the awkward feeling in the air. "I lost my dad… 'bout ten years ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Jack said, lowering his head again. "How… how did he die?"

"Well… Nat and I, we grew up on a tiny little settlement just outside the Commonwealth," she began to explain, cracking her fingers. "Our dad was part of the local militia. 'Keeping the raiders off our backs and the mirelurks out of our latrines,' he used to say." She gave an empty chuckle at her father's words.

"As… as you know, he… our dad turned up dead one day," she explained further, her voice cracking up. _Hold yourself together._ "The captain of the militia, asshole named Mayburn, claimed that raiders must have gotten our dad while on watch. I didn't buy it, started makin' inquiries. Turns out, he had sold out and was gonna let a group of raiders sack the place- take a cut of the profits."

Jack sat silently, listening to her story. "And you uncovered the truth?"

"Mhm. I couldn't let him get away with murdering my father. All my dad was doing was trying to protect the city by turning him in, but Mayburn got to him first," Piper continued, the confidence in her voice slowly returning. "The mayor wouldn't listen to me, so I covered the town in posters. 'Wanted for Gross Dereliction of Duty, Captain Mayburn.' After that, they finally threw him out on his ass and were dug in when a very surprised group of raiders finally decided to show."

"Piper, you saved those people," Jack said, locking eyes with her for the first time since he arrived at the Publick.

She smiled in response. "Guess I did. It was hard after he died, but knowing that he died doing what was right has always made it better."

"Nora… she died trying to protect Shaun," he opened up more about his late wife. "Bless her heart. All she was doing was being a mother, and they shot her for it. Sometimes I wish I was the one who took Shaun instead of her."

 _Mother._ Piper didn't necessarily have great memories of that word. Her mother was never around; never in the picture. She had given birth to Nat and decided to run off, not too long before her father had died. Even when she was around, she never did the family any good.

She pushed her thoughts to the side. Piper wasn't going to dump her the story of her broken family to Jack. She just wanted to make him feel more comfortable, not put more weight on his shoulders. Even if she were to explain it to him, it wouldn't be any different from the other stories of broken families in the Commonwealth.

"I mean… she died trying to save Shaun, right? Maybe knowing that she died trying to save him will help. Like it did for me when my father died," she suggested.

Jack took a shaky and deep breath. "You know," he started, attempting to show some kind of smile. "Maybe it will help."

 _That's the spirit._ "And maybe just remember the good times, yeah?"

The turmoil in his eyes still lingered, but his smile grew a bit wider. "Thank you, Piper."

"No problem."

"I should… probably head out," Jack half mumbled as he grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder and his rifle over the other one. He quickly stepped down the stairs, while Piper followed behind him whilst nearly tripping on each stair. Before he could reach the door, she grabbed his wrist.

"Whoa there, Blue, you don't just come here, sleep in my room for the night, chat and then leave," she called him out, crossing her arms. "What did you need? Goodness, don't tell me you came here just to get out of paying for a room in the Dugout."

The pre-war vault dweller hesitated, and then, "Yeah… almost, uh, almost forgot. Did you want to travel with me?"

Piper had never been _happier_. "I guess the paper can wait." She wouldn't admit it, but she was happy to get out of the Publick and Diamond City. She was getting a break from the hate that came from the DC residents, and she could get away from Nat. It wasn't like she wanted to get away from her, but she was _oh so_ afraid of her becoming like her; getting into everyone's business, getting in trouble, and endangering herself for others. She just wanted Nat to be kid she used to be.

"Alright, we should probably stop and get somethin' to eat before we leave," Jack suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," Piper agreed with a smile.

"Ooooooooooooh," Nat jibed as they were stepping out the door. _Oh, my GOD! Nat!_ She turned around and peaked her head in through the doorway.

"Nat! Shush! We're just getting noodles!"

"Yeah, you're going on a date!" Nat continued to joke, causing Piper's cheeks to burn for the second time that morning.

"Are you going to do this for every damn person that visits, Nat?"

"Heck yeah! It's fun."

Piper just shook her head in response, and fled the Publick before her sister caught onto the blush.

[-]

"Nan-ni shimasho-ka?"

"Ich spreche kein Japanisch, du verrückter Roboter," Jack spoke in some other language that Piper didn't know. _(Translation: I don't speak Japanese, you crazy robot.)_ "Yes, give me two bowls of noodles."

"You sure you don't want me to pay for my own bowl, Blue?" Piper asked. She was relieved that he was paying- she was a little short on caps, but she still had enough left for a bowl.

"Hundred percent, Piper," he told her, placing twenty caps on the counter.

"By the way, what the hell were you speaking?" she asked in curiosity. Piper wasn't familiar with other languages outside of the two foreign ones she knew and what she heard in the Commonwealth.

"I was speaking in German," Jack told her, cracking his neck. "Most of my mother's side of the family is German."

Piper nodded in acknowledgement. As Takahashi returned with their noodle cups, she noticed the scars on Jack's face. She found herself reaching out to touch them, but refrained and pulled her hand away. "Where'd you get those scars, Blue?"

"Hm? These? What, do ya think they're attractive?" he joked, laughing.

"What? No! I-I was just-"

"Calm down, I'm just pullin' your chain," Jack reassured her. _Looks like he's feelin' better._ "I got them back in my army days when I was in China and Anchorage."

"Oh, uh, heh," she replied, flustered. Piper found herself fascinated with the pre-war vault dweller and his story. There were so many questions she had for Jack- about pre-war Boston and his thoughts about the Commonwealth now. She was excited to finally get on the road with him and see what adventures awaited them. If she ever passed up the opportunity to travel with someone who watched the bombs dropped, she would be making a huge mistake.

As she began to eat her noodles, Jack stood up and mumbled a, "be right back," before heading deeper into the market. Piper watched as he leant down next to Sheffield, the man who was always asking for Nuka-Cola. He handed the older man a bottle of Cola before standing up. She could just barely make out what they were saying.

"Thank you, stranger! Is there anything I can do to repay you? I'm in your debt," Sheffield asked him, standing up himself.

"No need, Sheffield," Jack told him with a smile. "But… if you're looking for some work and need some caps, head down to Sanctuary. The Minutemen and I set up a settlement down there."

"R-Really? Thank you, good sir!" Sheffield exclaimed, running off towards the Fens.

Piper couldn't help but stare in awe. _Nobody_ ever helped Sheffield. The people of Diamond City never really paid attention to him, and the people of the upper stands treated him even worse. She herself had helped him out a few times- spared a few caps and gave him a cup of noodles. But never would she have offered the man a _damn job._ She found herself smiling like an idiot. She truly had met an amazing person- a selfless one, too.

Intrusive thoughts creeped into her head. _God, Piper, what are you thinking? He's still grieving, you know._ She ignored her thoughts and went back to eating her noodles.

Jack trotted back over to the noodle stand, sitting down next to her and finishing up his noodles. Piper wiped the stupid grin off her face. "Wow, Blue- that, that was really nice of you," she said, struggling to get her words out the way she wanted them to come out. "N-Nobody ever… ever helps him out like he did."

"Really? Guess things really have changed since they froze me. People had much more compassion back then. I mean, those who weren't so goddamn fuckin' greedy. I miss those days, as corrupt as they sometimes were."

They continued to chat about the pre-war world whilst eating their noodles, and then met up at the gate.

"Ready to go?" Piper asked, but Jack was looking up at the sky, distracted. She looked as well, seeing the sky burn with reds, oranges, pinks and purples.

"Red skies at morning, sailors take warning," he mumbled. "Red skies at night, sailors delight."

"W-What?"

He looked back down over at Piper. "Oh sorry, don't… don't worry about it. Just some old pre-war thing. We might hit some bad weather on the way to Sanctuary, but we should be fine."

"Alright, well, let's get going. How long do you think it'll be to get to Sanctuary from here?" Piper asked.

"Bout a day? Less if we don't stop."

"Alright, let's go."

And off they went, headed towards the grave of Jack's pre-war life.


	3. Sanctuary

Sanctuary. Jack's home.

He was a bit excited to show Piper the settlement, and all the work he had done already. He had tried as hard as he could to return it to its former glory with the limited time and resources he had. As the two approached the settlement, a flashback hit him. The houses in Sanctuary returned to their vibrant colors, and were in perfect condition. The burned grass was suddenly green again, and the dead mongrel before the bridge had disappeared. The flashback disappeared as fast as it came, and a wave of vertigo took its place.

Jack had to stop in his place to regain his composure. "You alright, Blue?" Piper asked, a few feet in front of him. Her head was tipped to the side in concern.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he told her. "Vertigo." His hands shook in response to the flashback, and he shoved them into the pockets of his riot coat, forming fists. Suddenly, a bullet ripped through the air and found its way into Jack's left shoulder. Piper had already jumped to cover, leaving him out in the open like a deer in headlights. More bullets flew past, and it took a second before Jack realized that there were raiders attacking his home.

"Scheisse," he swore in German, ducking for cover and pulling out his M1 Garand. He always had a love for World War Two weapons, and it was a surprise to find one still around after so many years. The weapon made a satisfying _shhick_ sound and a _ping!_ as he reloaded the rifle before firing on the attacking raiders.

A raider with a baseball bat came charging towards him. When he got within vicinity of Jack, he swung the bat violently. He grabbed the bat from the raider's hand, breaking it over his knee. The raider looked on in fear as Jack brought half of the broken bat down on his head, rendering him unconscious. Looking over, he watched as Piper single-handedly dealt with a raider. The threatening raider threw a punch at her while Piper ducked under his arm, planting her leg behind his. She grabbed onto the back of the raider's shirt and pushed him with her free hand, locking her leg with his and throwing him to the ground.

All Jack could do was stare. _Oh, my- ho-ly s-shit._ He couldn't form words. _What are you thinking, Jackson?_

"Blue!" Piper shouted, and before he knew it, she had tackled him to the ground as a missile whizzed over their heads. Their faces both went as red as tatos before they stood up and returned to fighting. Something inside his brain clicked as he thanked her for practically saving his life, and he didn't exactly like the realization that hit him like the bullet in his shoulder did. _Stop it. Falling for your companion is not a damn option._ Jack shook his head, deciding to address his thoughts later and got back into the fight.

Raiders littered the settlement, attempting to steal crops and attacking settlers. The two went off on their own, helping out where they could.

"Hey! Jack, a little help over here?" a voice shouted from the distance. He immediately recognized the voice as his old friend, Kendall. His good ole army buddy had turned into a ghoul, and met up with him not too long after he had left the vault.

Jack sprung to his side, headbutting the raider that was attacking his friend. The two fought side by side, killing the many raiders that were attacking. "Just like old days, eh, Kendall?"

"Just like old days, Bullseye," his friend said, using his old army nickname.

Suddenly, a raider threw their fist at Jack, to which he ducked. Kendell caught the threatening raider's fist, twisting his arm and allowing Jack to stab him in the chest with his trusty knife. As another raider began firing upon them, he grabbed the dead raider's body and used it as a shield. Kendell stood behind him, using the dead raider as cover and fired back with his pistol, killing the raider with a shot to the head.

Kendall grabbed his hatchet and launched it into the chest of a raider, the blow killing them immediately. As he pulled the axe from the raider's chest, Jack sunk the blade of his knife into another raider's back, pushing him over to his pre-war army buddy. Kendall brought the hatchet down on the raider's head.

"Nice job, soldier," Jack said, giving Kendell a high-five. As he turned around to continue fighting, a loud gunshot rang in Jack's ear, followed by a thud. He felt cold metal of a pistol digging into the back of his skull. _Shitshitshitshit._

"Put your hands in the air. Slowly," the raider spoke, his accent heavy. Jack did as he was told, raising his hands into the air with a sigh. He was more concerned about Kendall than himself, but if he got his brains blown out, there was no making sure his friend was safe.

"Man, if I just had my _rifle,_ " Jack said, putting emphasis on 'rifle.'

"What the fuck are you talkin' 'bout?" the raider asked, pushing the pistol into his head with light force.

"I said, _man, if I just had my rifle! Rifle,_ dammit!"

"Shut-" the man's words were cut off by a round of sniper fire, and the sound of the raider falling to the ground with a _thud._ MacCready came running over, his sniper rifle in hand.

"How about next time you use a code word, you say it a bit louder?" MacCready complained.

"How about next time you actually pay attention and fucking listen, Mac?" Jack argued back. MacCready rolled his eyes in response before walking away. "You alright, Kendall?"

No response.

"Kendall?" he repeated. As he turned around, his pre-war buddy laid on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. Jack bent down, looking for a pulse. "Kendall, c'mon!" He only groaned in response. Piper ran over, standing by his side.

"What the hell happened?" she asked.

 _I'm a fuckin' idiot!_ "That damn raider must have got him while I wasn't looking… must've been the gunshot I heard… goddammit! Piper, go get one of the medics. I'll bring him inside one of the houses."

Piper nodded and left without a word while Jack dragged Kendall to his old home. "Come on, stay with me," he whispered, lying him carefully down on the floor. He rummaged through his bag, looking for a stimpack. When he finally found one, he carefully pressed the needle into Kendall's wound. He watched as the liquid inside the vial of the stimpack emptied into his wound.

Looking out through the door, he saw multiple settlers running towards the back of the settlement. Popping his head out the door, he saw a raider in power armor with a Fat Man, loading a mini nuke into the weapon.

"Son of a bit- er, biscuit!" he heard MacCready shout.

"Son of a _bitch!"_ Piper yelled, taking cover inside a house with the medic.

"Son of a bitch!" multiple settlers screamed at the same time.

The raider aimed the Fat Man at Jack and his house, and before he knew it, the mini nuke was hurling towards him. "Oh, son of a-" He ducked just in time as the mini nuke flew right over him, into the house and through one of the old kitchen windows. "BITCH!"

Grabbing his pistol, he fired at the raider through one of the windows. One of the shots knocked the Fat Man out of his hands, confusing the raider and buying Piper the time to run over to the house with the medic.

"What happened here?" Michael, the medic, asked, kneeling beside Kendall.

"I don't _fucking_ know, I had my back turned and all I heard was a gunshot," Jack explained with little detail, frustrated. "Just… help him."

"Alright, alright! I'll see what I can do," the medic agreed before getting to work.

Jack turned and headed for the door, only to be stopped by Piper grabbing his arm. "Where do you think you're going?"

"There's a raider in power armor out there with the ability to replicate the Great War except on a much smaller scale and on Sanctuary," Jack started. "Someone needs to stop him."

"Blue, you're goin' to get yourself killed."

"I'd rather sacrifice myself than letting about twenty or so people die, Piper," he explained to her, looking her straight in the eye.

Letting go of his arm, she said, "I'm coming with you."

 _I'd prefer you'd stay behind so you don't get hurt. I don't want you getting hurt on my watch._ But that wasn't what he said aloud. "Fine, your funeral. C'mon."

The two exited the _House of Tomorrow,_ weapons at the ready. The power armored raider had already re-equipped himself with the Fat Man. All the settlers had hidden inside the houses along with the other companions.

"Follow my lead," Jack whispered to Piper, who nodded in response. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted MacCready inside one of the other houses, rifle sticking out the window. A smile crept onto Jack's lips. _Let's do this._

"Man, I could sure use my _rifle_ right now," he used the code word again. Before he knew it, MacCready had shot the Fat Man out of the raider's metal hands once again. "Go!"

The two stormed the raider, Piper firing with her 10mm and Jack running ahead to grab his M1 Garand. Just as he reached his rifle, the raider threw his metal fist at him, hitting him in the chest and throwing him back a few feet. The punch knocked the wind out of him. Piper ran to his side, helping him up.

"Finally got my _rifle!_ " Another sniper shot rang out from MacCready's rifle, breaking the power armor chest plate.

"Oh, fuck this!" the raider shouted, turning around and heading for the bridge.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Jack shouted, rapidly shooting at him as he fled. Eventually, the raider fell to the ground. Blood poured out of a rip in the frame, pooling beneath him. All the settlers slowly emerged from safety, getting to cleaning up the raider bodies right away.

Jack and Piper swiftly trotted back to the old home to check up on Kendall. "How's he holdin' up?" he asked Michael.

The medic looked up, sorrow painted on his face. "There's nothing I can do," he explained. "The bullet pierced his heart. We can only make him comfortable as he passes."

His chest tightened at the news, making it difficult to breathe. "Are you sure there's nothing you can do?" Jack questioned, tightening his hands into fists.

"Yes. There is absolutely nothing I can do," Michael told him matter-of-factly. "I'll give you a moment." He excused himself from the house, leaving them alone.

Jack knelt down next to the pre-war ghoul. "Kendall."

"H-Hey there, B-Bullseye," he replied, coughing. "Take c-care of the world while I'm g-gone… will ya?"

"Definitely." Jack answered his question, gripping onto his friend's hand. He looked back at Piper for a moment. She gave him a weak smile. _Too kind._ "We all will."

"T-Thank ya," Kendall said with another cough, squeezing his hand and taking his last breath.

The former soldier let his old friend's hand fall out of his own as he stood up. "He's gone."

Michael walked back in, hands folded. "I… I'm sorry. We'll bury him as soon as we can."

"Are you gonna be alright, Blue?" Piper asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know," he admitted. "He was the last pre-war person I knew. And now he's gone."

She gave him a smile. "If you need to vent at all, I'm here. If you need anything- anything at all, you tell me."

"Thank you, Piper." _You're too good, too nice for me._

As Jack watched Kendall's body be scooped up and carried out of his pre-war house, he made a promise to protect the Commonwealth as best as he could- with his companions by his side.


	4. Fall

Rain fell hard on the settlement, enveloping the former town in the scent of petrichor and a depressing undertone. The weather may have given off a melancholic vibe, but Piper thanked whatever God that was watching over them that it wasn't a rad storm. Sitting on the couch in front of the window inside the _Home of Tomorrow_ , she watched the rain pitter-pat on the ground. She had to admit, rain storms such as these did calm her.

But right now, she didn't need something to calm her. Piper needed something to _distract_ her- from Jack, shirtless, the wound in his shoulder being prodded at by Michael.

She glanced over at him for moment, watching as Michael dug around in Jack's bare shoulder with a pair of tweezers, looking for the bullet that had hit him. "This damn bullet is lodged in your trapezius," he explained. "If it had been a little higher and more to the right, it would have hit your carotid artery in your neck. You're lucky."

Jack winced in pain, biting his lip. "Where'd you learn all that? I had just assumed everyone had completely forgotten about anatomy stuff like that."

"Pre-war books," Michael explained, pulling out a small chunk of lead out of his shoulder with the tweezers. Piper attempted to pry her eyes away from the scene, with no avail. Her eyes traveled everywhere that wasn't the inside of the house. His shoulder was caked with blood, but she didn't care. His body was covered with faded scars. Piper wanted to so desperately reach out and touch the scars and learn the story behind every one. Jack sat with great posture, allowing her eyes to scan every part of his body freely. She _hated_ herself for staring at him. She adverted her eyes momentarily, but they slowly gravitated back to him, all the while unwanted and unneeded thoughts plagued her mind. Her green eyes locked with his hazy blue ones for several seconds. She gave an odd smile, and he gave one in return. As he looked away, Piper let out a silent sigh of relief. _God, I'm a mess._

The day that the two had first met flooded to Piper's mind. She remembered locking eyes with the vault dweller shortly after tricking Danny into opening the main gate, just as they did now. As she looked over his bare chest and abdomen again, Piper could feel her body temperature rise, most of it going to her face. She looked back through the window before Jack or the medic could realize how flustered she was truly becoming. Piper needed to get out of the room. She needed to _leave._

As she stood up, she began to feel light-headed and grabbed onto the wall, bracing for the impact if she were to fall over. Piper quickly regained her balance, and hurried out of the house and into the torrential rain. She didn't care if the cold rain soaked her, she needed something cold to cool her down. Piper leaned against the wall of the house, letting the rain fall on her. The precipitation showered over Sanctuary, cleansing it of its dirt, just as it did Piper's mind. Finally, the intrepid reporter ran to the house opposite of Jack's pre-war one, getting out of the rain before it could soak through her clothes.

Just as her normal thoughts began to return to her, Piper regretted sitting out in the rain. She peeled off her wet trench coat, stepping inside the decrepit home and slipping away into one of the back rooms. She replaced her soaked tan undershirt, now a gross and matte brown, with a flannel shirt that was lying around. Leaning against the wall of one of the rooms, she let out a frustrated sigh while the rain continued to fall on the ghost of the former neighborhood. The rain had reduced to a steady fall. Fog creeped into the house and settled, just as those unwanted thoughts had crept into Piper's head.

Piper ran a hand through her soaked hair, combing it with her own fingers. She wouldn't dare return to the house while Jack was still in there. She mentally kicked herself for feeling like that- there were so many things wrong with _all of it._ The man was obviously still devastated over his late wife's death. Whatever it was that she was beginning to feel for the pre-war man was something she did _not_ want to get entangled in, nor did she need it. Piper didn't have time for something like that, what with Nat, the paper, and now traveling with Jack.

But _my god,_ she was wondering if this man would prove her wrong. _So, won't you come around and prove me wrong?_

Heavy and noisy footsteps echoed through the house. Piper focused on them, pulling her out of her thoughts. The footsteps reminded her of her father's footsteps when he was still alive. She always knew that he was home from his watch by the sound of his footsteps walking through the door and causing the wood floor to creak. But it wasn't her father who stepped into the room. As Piper looked up, she spotted Jack leaning against the door frame with a small grin on his face. _God, don't do that, Blue._ He wore his white tank top, and donned a bandage around his shoulder.

"Hey, Pipes. I uh…. I gotta head out," he began, using an odd nickname. "Got some jobs I need to take care of."

She was almost glad that he'd be leaving, but confused as to why he'd use that stupid nickname. "Fine by me, but what's with the damn nickname?"

"Oh, uh… I-I mean you have a n-nickname for me, so I thought it'd be even?"

Piper shrugged. "Fair enough, but please, don't use it. It's… no offense… sorta stupid."

The former soldier looked down at the ground for a moment and then back at Piper. "Anyways, I'm gonna get goin'."

"You sure you're gonna be alright with your shoulder all screwed up?" the reporter asked, sitting up straighter. _Quit worryin'._

"I'll be fine, Piper," he told her, trying to hold a smile. "Oh, and- the guys are burying Kendall's body. Could you just… make sure everything goes smoothly while I'm gone?"

She noticed the attempted smile slowly fade into a frown. "Yeah, of course."

"Thanks. I'm gonna head out, now," he thanked her, saluted, and then left the house in silence. Piper couldn't blame him for wanting to get away from Sanctuary.

 **[-]**

Boredom overcame the usually busy reporter, and said boredom lead her back to her home in Diamond City while Jack was out. She missed the buzz and busy atmosphere that the Great Green Jewel gave off. The city was filled with the murmurs of people chatting and negotiating while some shopped in the market or ate a meal. The crisp afternoon air breathed new life into both the people of the city and into Piper's lungs. Before she knew it, Nat was running towards her at full speed and nearly knocked her over as she jumped into a hug.

"Oomph, hey kiddo!" Piper greeted her little sister, returning the hug. "Has Ellie been treatin' you well over at the agency?"

"Yeah," Nat began. "She even helped with my homework."

 _Ellie is a damn saint._ "That's great, Nat! I owe her. Hey, do you wanna go get some noodles while I'm here? I got some caps while I was in Sanctuary."

"Let's do it!" Nat exclaimed. The two Wright sisters made their way to Takahashi's noodle stand, paid for their food, and sat down at the bar.

Travis's voice beamed through the radio. He had finally gained his confidence after Jack had helped him shortly after he first visited Diamond City. "And next up, we've got _Undecided_ by Ella Fitzgerald, for your listening pleasure."

Out of all the songs on the radio, this one had to be Piper's favorite. She remembered sitting back home at her old settlement, listening to the host prior to Travis tell stories about Diamond City and then playing _Undecided._ It slowly became her favorite song on the radio station (aside from Magnolia's songs) and further fueled her want to move to the big city.

But right now, the song read Piper's mind. _First you say you do, and then you don't. And then you say you will, and then you won't. You're undecided now, so what are you gonna do?_ The song seemed to nag at her. She didn't know what the hell she was feeling for her new friend, the Vault Dweller. The reporter stayed quiet, listening to the song mock her as she slurped her noodles.

 _Now you want to play, and then its no. And when you say you'll stay, that's when it's no. You're undecided now, so what are you gonna do?_

 _I've been sittin' on a fence, and it doesn't make much sense, 'cause you keep me in suspense, and you know it. Then you promise to return, when you don't I really burn, well I guess I'll never learn and I show it._

"Piper?" her sister called out, while she ignored her, still listening to the song.

 _If you've got a heart, and if you're kind, then don't leave us apart, make up your mind. You're undecided now, so what are you gonna do?_

The world around her froze, and she only paid attention to the song. _Now, if you don't love me, I'd wish you'd say so. I love you so much, honey, I just got to know. I'm just a fool for you, what are you gonna do?_

"Piper, you alright?" Nat called again, as the song faded out.

"W-What? Y-Yeah, yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I said your name like five times," she told her. "And, you're being super quiet. That really isn't like you."

Piper eyed her sister for a moment. "I'm sorry," she apologized, slurping up another noodle. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"What 'bout, big sis?" the younger Wright sister asked.

"Adult stuff."

"Aw, come on, Piper. You can tell your little sis. Please?"

"Alright," Piper gave in with a sigh. "I'm just having super conflicting… thoughts… about Jack."

"Jack?" Nat said, ears perked up and her posture suddenly changing. "Do you _love_ him?" she asked in a mocking tone.

"W-What? No! I never said that!" Piper told her, cheeks burning as if they were the surface of the sun.

"Well, do you have a _crush_ on him?" Nat continued, still using that damn mocking tone of voice.

 _No, you don't. And you never will._ "Well, no…. or… maybe… a little bit. But it's just a small one!" she exclaimed. "I don't love him, and I never will!" _You will never love him. He is pre-war. He lost his wife. And now, his only son. Quit dreamin'._

"Surrrrrrrreee," the younger sister said, returning to eating her noodles, while Piper did the same.

 **[-]**

Inside the dark house, Piper sat on the couch, reading an issue of Grognak the Barbarian. If she couldn't get away from her thoughts with a visit back to the city or with music from the radio, then reading would have to do. She had always been a fan of the old pre-war comic books. Her father would do his best to find a copy of one while he was out on watch duty. The comics brought back bittersweet memories of the nights she'd awake from a nightmare, and her father would cheer her up with a new issue of Grognak.

 _Those were the days,_ Piper thought.

Before she knew it, the clock read _4:31am._ As she looked up from the clock, a familiar face stepped through the door, and her anxiety levels rose. "Jack? What're you doing here? I thought you were going to be gone longer."

The vault dweller shrugged. "Desdemona didn't need me anymore over at the Railroad HQ," he explained. "I got everything done early. So, what're you up to?"

"Just… reading issue 33 of Grognak the Barbarian," Piper explained.

"Oh, really? That's my favorite issue. Used to read it all the time before the bombs dropped," he told her, his head dropping as he leaned against the wall.

Even with his head slightly dropped, Piper could see the sadness in his hazy blue eyes. "Hey, uh… do you want to play Blast Radius? I have the box somewhere…"

"Sure, I'd love to."

"Alright," she said, hanging off the couch to look underneath it for the board game. "It's already four in the morning, so there's no point in sleeping now. Here it is."

The two sat down on the floor in front of the table and set up the board game, playing it until the sun rose.


	5. Contrast

Jack had one thing set in his mind. He needed to go to the vault. His priority was to retrieve Nora's ring. He never grabbed it when he was first awoken, thinking they'd be married forever. Taking the ring now would lead him on the road to recovering.

Or so he thought.

His PTSD had begun to act up again since he left to take care of a few missions for the Railroad, and now was no exception. As Jack and Piper returned to Sanctuary, the world before him flashed to an old world from his distant past. Green grass, cool blue skies, and a bustling neighborhood. Where Piper stood before the flashback, Nora now stood. _They're so much alike, you know. At least in looks._ The flashback was extremely vivid. The scent of crisp autumn air lingered, eventually fading out into the odor of nuclear fallout. With one blink of Jack's eyes, he stood back in the post-apocalyptic world of Boston once more.

Jack let out a defeated sigh. He couldn't go back to the world he once knew. And it frustrated him like nobody's business. He was stuck in this hell of a world, fighting off both physical threats and the ones created by his brain. And he couldn't go back.

Frank Sinatra's voice beamed through the speaker on his Pip-Boy. _Over and over I keep going over the world we knew, once when you walked beside me. That inconceivable, that unbelieveable world we knew, when we two were in love._ He flipped off the radio, leaving himself and his companion in complete dead silence. The only sound was their feet against the broken pavement, followed by the wood of the bridge.

Neither the former soldier or the reporter spoke a word. It was almost if Piper knew that now wasn't the time to say anything. Jack led her to the vault, still silent. As they went down, the lift shook and screeched. The world flashed to the day the bombs dropped for just a moment, the flames of destruction covering the earth. An undesired wave of vertigo washed over Jack as he returned to the post-war world. He closed his eyes and held onto his bag with a tight fist as they descended into the frozen vault, his knuckles turning white.

As the screeching of metal came to a halt, the pre-war artifact opened his eyes. Beside him stood all his neighbors, shaking with anxiety and fear. Nora held Shaun in her arms before giving Jack a reassuring squeeze of his hand. He closed his eyes once more, and opened them to find that another flashback had hit him. He was beginning to regret coming back to the vault.

" _Right this way."_

"' _Prepared for the future,' right?"_

" _This is our new home."_

The words echoed in his head. The words of people long gone. Just some skeletons discarded on the cold metal floor. He kicked the remains of the vault scientists, silently cursing them for stripping his entire life away from him.

Their boots clanked across the floor. Jack could tell that Piper wanted to say something, _anything,_ but kept quiet. Every time he looked over at her, she'd be fiddling with anything she could. One moment, she'd be twisting the buttons on her coat, the next, she'd be messing with her gloves. After a few more minutes of her fidgeting, she finally said something just as they were getting closer to the cryopods.

"God, it's quiet," she spoke in a hushed voice. Jack gave her a quick glare, and she looked back down at her hands, toying with a string that came off the sowed stitches of her glove.

Eventually, the pair reached the cold confines of the cryopod room. His and Piper's boots made imprints on the extremely thin layer of ice on the metal floor. Piper stopped in her own tracks, looking inside the other pods while Jack made his way to Nora's frozen casket. He went to the controls, pulling on the lever to open the pod. It made a popping noise as the pod released air with it's opening.

Piper became visible in Jack's peripherals. "Is… is that who I think it is?" she asked, not sounding like herself. Her voice lacked the usual confidence and perkiness it held, replaced with concern and sorrow. "You okay?"

Jack gave no response as he gripped his late wife's cold hand. _I'm so sorry, N._ He slipped the ring off Nora's left hand. He gave an empty chuckle, looking down at the ring. "Next time we meet, Nora, it's forever."

 _Forever. That's quite a long time, isn't it, Bullseye? Next time we meet, it's forever._

Her voice echoed in his head as he looked back up to her body. The blood that was splattered across her chest created a purple color against the blue of her vault suit. Jack wiped the tears that threatened to escape from his eyes, a smile forming. Even if it really wasn't her voice, it was still comforting to know that he would never forget the way she was.

Perhaps it was a good idea to come down here. Perhaps things would start to look up.

 _Come on, you've gotta give me a proper burial,_ Nora's voice nagged in his head.

 _Your wish is my command,_ Jack thought, carefully pulling her body out of the pod and carrying her out of the vault, bridal style, with Piper in tow.

 **[=]**

"Come on, Blue, you've gotta give me some explanation," Piper finally spoke for the first time since she asked about Nora. "We buryin' her?"

Gently placing Nora's body down in the dead grass, Jack nodded. "Grab a shovel," he said, grabbing one himself. He settled on burying her next to Kendall's body behind his bunker home. By the time they were done, the sun had gone down. A wooden cross stood beside another cross, names of two pre-war citizens carved into the radiated wood. Hubflowers rested at the base alongside lit candles, light projected in every direction.

"Thank you," Jack breathed out. "For your help. I really appreciate it, Piper."

"Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" Piper began. "Helping out your friend bury their late wife."

Jack locked eyes with the reporter. "Sorry," she blurted out, scratching the back of her head anxiously. "T-That was too soon, wasn't it?"

His eyes darted to the dirt that his deceased wife laid under, and then back up at Piper. "It's alright, don't worry about it," he told her, scraping his foot against the dirt and dead grass. "Come on, it's getting late."

The entirety of Sanctuary was dead quiet, aside from the hum of generators and crickets. The two sat down on a bench, admiring the night sky. The moon was full, with millions of stars accompanying it. Nobody else seemed to be up, besides the few on their patrols and of course, Jack and Piper. The former soldier felt at ease for once. There were many things he could be worrying about; the Institute, his settlements, and more. And finally, he found comfort knowing that the stars were still here after two hundred years and always will be. He found comfort in the bright moon that shone above him, illuminating the settlement with no need for any kind of light. He found comfort in what was happening now, not worrying about things in the future. For once, Jack was living in the moment, something he never felt he'd be able to do.

Yet here he was, doing _exactly that_ , despite the circumstances of the past month.

Jack leaned back against the bench, still admiring the night sky. The air was crisp and refreshing, burning his lungs in the best way.

After a few moments of admiration of the calm atmosphere, Piper spoke up. "You know… you sure do have a talent for finding trouble, don't ya?"

His eyes flickered from the sky to his companion. "I mean, I guess so. I suppose it just finds me," Jack replied.

"I'm not really one to judge," Piper began. "To be honest with you, Blue, it's nice to not be doin' it alone for once. In my line of work, anything can go sour in the matter of seconds."

"I can only imagine. Didn't you once say something about 'reporters aren't successful until someone threatens their life,' and 'I must be really successful'?" he asked, crossing his feet.

"Oh, _heck yeah._ I've been shot at, poisoned, nearly executed… Hell, recently they've been calling the lock-up over in Diamond City the 'Piper Suite,'" she explained, a grin plastered across her face. "Anything for a story, I suppose! Such is life."

" _Wait,_ wait, wait a second. You were _poisoned?_ " Jack questioned, sitting up straight and holding tightly to the bench arm.

"You kidding? I barely had the paper going before I got poisoned! First time, I'd published an article about this cartel of caravans that had been drivin' up food prices back in the big city. Article went over pretty well, even got a boycott of their goods started. So, I figured I'd drop by the Dugout Inn for a victory drink.

"I had already taken a swig when I ultimately realized something was wrong. Vadim wasn't there, and the beer tasted off- more so than usual. And then, I started feelin' woozy. I have _no clue_ what they slipped me, but I knew I had to _get it out._ "

Jack was most certainly intrigued. He admired her story telling, and found himself smiling like an idiot. "What did you do, then?"

"Well, I needed something, _anything_ to wash it out," Piper continued. "I was lookin' around for something, and there it is. The still. And I just… freakin' start chuggin' moonshine like it's nobody's business. To be honest, I'm still not a hundred percent convinced it was better than just dying from the poison. But, it worked, nonetheless. I guess while I was passed out on the floor, security managed to grab the bartender. He eventually ratted out his bosses, and they got to spend some time in the pen."

"Christ, Piper. And I'm guessing that execution didn't exactly take, considering you're sitting next to me?" he joked.

"Yeah, _thank God._ I was working on a story about irradiated drinking water at Bunker Hill," Piper began to explain her next story. "I traced the water back to its source in these old sewer tunnels. And you know what I find there? Heh, the _Children of Atom,_ setting up like they own the place. Unfortunately, they aren't exactly fond of reporters. So, to atone to my trespassing of their 'territory,' they decide to make _me_ their sacrifice to Atom.

"So, here I am, about to get the boot into this huge-ass sewer pipe, when I blurt out, 'Atom! He reveals himself!' And you know what? They friggin' buy it! They pulled me back from the ledge, and gave me their own little induction ceremony. You're looking at an official acolyte of atom! In the end, it took me a few days to finally escape, and got Bunker Hill security to clean the place."

"You sure have lead an amazing life, Piper," he said, sitting forward on the bench and flashing her a smile.

"Sure have," she began, returning the friendly smile. "But honestly, now that I'm out here with you, I feel like I'm just getting started, you know? Getting in trouble… it's what folks like us do, you know? You and I… we're risking our lives for the folks of the Commonwealth, so they can have another chance. And we still got a long road ahead of us! And we do it not for praise or glory. But because it's the right thing to do. Anyways, I just want you to know, that… I-I'm really happy to be along for the ride. I've needed to do something like this for a long time- going out and making a difference outside of the paper."

 _Take the chance, Jack. Make a move, test the waters!_ His inside voice screamed in the back of his head. _Do it! Do it, do it, do it!_ Jack couldn't argue with himself. "To be quite honest, I like havin' ya close. I wouldn't want it to be any other way," he toyed, a sly smile on his face.

He immediately realized what he had just done. _You just buried your late wife and you're flirting with the one who helped you. Smooth, Jackson. Real fucking smooth._

" _Oh,"_ Piper began, her face turning red from ear to ear. "T-Thanks, Blue! That's… that's awfully, uh, s-sweet! And… unexpected of you." _Score._ "Anyways… uh… t-thanks for listening, Jack! Too few c-can be bothered."

"Hey, no problem," Jack told her, resting his hand on his shoulder. His smile faded for a moment, and an uncomfortable silence sat in the air for a few seconds before he made a split decision. "Guess it's my time to share, ain't it?"

Piper's ears perked up, her usual confident posture and composure returning. "Well, you listened to me ramble, so I guess it would be even. Go crazy."

The former soldier scratched his head, trying to figure out how to explain. "You know what Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is, right?" he asked, and the intrepid reporter nodded. "Well, it seems the fates have decided it's time for it to start acting up again."

He was afraid of her reaction, how she'd take it. Before the bombs dropped, mental illnesses of the such were considered taboo for the most part. Jack was lucky enough to not be thrown out on the streets like many war vets. He was hoping that perhaps things were different now.

"Huh, really? I wouldn't be surprised, since you said you were a soldier pre-war," Piper told him, a smile spreading across her face. "You know, it's sorta cool-"

" _What?"_ Jack said, nearly falling off the bench. That was _not_ the response he was expecting _at all._

"By sorta cool," Piper began again. "I mean it's neat how you have a million other things on your mind all at once, and still manage to juggle that, while fighting through the challenge that is the wasteland. Honest to God, Blue, you could end up being a real inspiration."

"Oh, well… thanks, I guess," he replied, letting out a sigh of relief. "I was just… nervous as to what you'd say, you know? Mental illnesses like that wasn't exactly something people talked about."

Perhaps things really did change.

"Blue, you don't have to be anxious about my reaction," she reassured him. "Everyone's got their flaws, nobody's perfect!"

"Thanks, Piper," he gave her a toothy grin. "You know, it feels better to get that off my shoulders."

"No problem! Now, it's gettin' pretty late, we should probably hit the hay."

 **[-]**

As content as he was with this day, Jack couldn't sleep to save his life. _Damned insomnia._ He laid in a bed that wasn't his own, in a home that wasn't his either. Jack couldn't bare sleeping in the home that housed his son and wife with Piper in it. There were too many similarities between this reporter that he had grown intrigued by and his late wife to be comfortable with that. Yet, the same reporter was sleeping in the room across from him. He wished he just _get her out of his goddamn mind_ and get to sleep, but no matter how hard he tried, _nothing would work._

 _Admit it, will ya? You can't get her out of your head because you don't_ want _her out of your head._

Jack shushed his own inside voice, turning over in his bed and closing his eyes tight. God, he didn't _fucking_ want this. He didn't want it, didn't need it, and he wouldn't have it.

He'd just have to deal with it. He'd get over it eventually. _God, I do hope so._


	6. Sticks and Stones

Having nightmares wasn't uncommon for Piper. Most of them were always the same thing, all revolving around her father's death. Whether it be watching her father die, or reliving the moment she found out. This time would be no exception.

But tonight, it was worse.

The reporter awoke abruptly just like any other time she had a nightmare. Piper knew the routine; sit up, get some water, calm down, then go back to sleep. Yet, when she found she couldn't move, fear enveloped her. She felt as if a thousand bricks were stacked up on her chest and stomach, making it uncomfortable and hard to breath. _Goddammit, not again._ She had experienced this before. _Sleep paralysis,_ Nick had once told her. It wasn't until after her father passed that she began having these horrifying experiences. Yet, having it after a nightmare was an entirely new ball game for her- a terrifying one.

Piper's eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness of the room. She looked around the dark room. It didn't seem to be the house she fell asleep in, but her childhood residence. A shadowy figure marched into the room, the silhouette matching the shape of her father. A rifle hung from the shadow's shoulder, and he wore that damn hat that Piper had held onto for so long.

It was all too familiar. She was reliving the last night she saw her father, while being unable to move or speak or _do anything_ but just watch. The figure slowly made its way to her side of the bed, placing the worn press cap on the table next to the bed. Its voice was eerie, an echo of the past.

" _G'night, kiddo. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"_

Piper wanted to say something, _anything_ to the shadow of her father. The words fit properly in her mind, but failed to escape her throat. _Dad, don't fucking leave. Please._ But that was the thing with sleep paralysis- you couldn't do _anything_ about it. No moving, no screaming… _nothing._ It killed her to relive her last moment with her beloved father without being able to interact. A part of her told her to fight against the paralysis, as if she could change the outcome that was the death of her only parent. He kneeled beside her bed, kissing her on the forehead. As the shadow slowly fled the room, his last words seemed to bounce off the walls. _I'll see you tomorrow._

She could have been _stabbed_ \- anything else. It would have hurt a thousand times less than hearing her father's last words to her.

The words continued to fill the room like a poisonous gas would. Piper closed her eyes as hard as she could to escape the darkness of her sleep paralysis-induced childhood home, but it didn't make the whispers go away. After what seemed like hours, the weight on her chest became even heavier. Gasping and fighting for air, she opened her eyes and found herself back in the room Jack had let her sleep in. She almost gave herself whiplash as she sat up, taking in the crisp air that leaked through the house's many holes as the heaviness disappeared.

Her eyes wandered over to the bedside table, staring at the worn press cap. Every time she blinked, she could see her father resting the cap on the table. She stifled back a whimper, followed by wet tears escaping her mossy-green eyes. Piper's whimpers came with a halfhearted, melancholy laugh. She muffled her sad laughter with her hand in an attempt to keep quiet. Piper didn't need to wake up Jack; he didn't get enough sleep as it was, and she didn't need to be the one to worsen his insomnia.

Eventually, her shoulders stopped shaking, along with her crying and laughing. Piper wiped the tears from her eyes. It had been _ten_ years, she needed to get over it. Taking a quick sip from her purified water, Piper laid back down, clutching the hat to her chest. It was only minutes before the reporter slipped back into a dreamless and restless sleep.

 **[-]**

" _I don't know where I am supposed to go, so I might just take my pride and go."_

A muffled melody reached the groggy reporter's ears, through her closed door. Piper sat in her bed, doing nothing but listening to the song. She couldn't push herself to get up and get ready for the day. She was enjoying the soft singing too much.

" _Some people, they know, know everything but I know that they don't know my heart."_

She couldn't have been too sure, but it sounded like Jack's voice. _Pre-war people must have been amazing singers. Damn._

" _Cause I, oh yeah, I believe in love. And I hope I can show you what I mean. And I don't believe love's for me, oh. So, won't you come around and prove me wrong?"_

Finally, Piper got out of the bed that had encased her in fear during the night, but never stopped listening to the words. She found that the words read her mind as she pulled on her boots.

" _Won't walk the world any different, and my path won't change until you make a wall and make me fall, and break me down. I don't know, no, I don't know if I wrote this song in vain, vain, in vain, vain."_

 _Why is every song I listen to so damn relatable?_ Piper thought, sighing out loud. She wasn't supposed to be feeling this way, _dammit._ She had too many other things going on. As the song seemed to flawlessly explain, _I don't believe love's for me._ She wasn't ready for this shit. Not with Nat, the paper, and the seemingly never-ending string of death threats. While her mouth subconsciously curled into an idiotic smile, her mind screamed _no._

 _So, won't you come around and prove me wrong?_

A gentle knock on the wooded and irradiated door pulled Piper from her mind. She got so caught up in her own thoughts, that she never heard Jack stop singing or heard his footsteps. Realizing she still looked like a total _mess_ , she quickly ran a brush through her hair and pulled on her trench coat. Grabbing her hat from the bedside table, she fixed it on her head before greeting Jack at her door with a smile.

"Mornin' Piper," he said, holding a cup of coffee in his hand. Perhaps it was because she had listened to him sing for the first time, or maybe he just suppressed it, but Piper noticed his Bostonian accent for the first time. Unlike many other people in the Commonwealth, his accent was much lighter and more understandable. "You a fan of coffee?"

The reporter chuckled. "C'mon, Blue. I write for a livin'. Course I am," she answered, taking the offered cup from him. "Thanks."

"No problem. You hungry? I made some mirelurk egg omelets."

"You _cook?"_ Piper asked, taking a sip from her coffee.

"Of course," Jack laughed, running a hand through his hair. "Come on, don't want it to get cold."

Piper followed him to the main room and sat down at the table where the omelet was prepared. She sat at the chair and quickly dug in, hunger gnawing away at her. Looking out the window, she took in the beautiful scene of the sunrise. The sky almost seemed to set the leafless trees on fire, and the whole world seemed to have an orange-red glow to it. The horizon line was a deep blueish-purple that had bled into the oranges, reds, and pinks of the sky. It was moments like these that Piper realized how gorgeous and fascinating this world could be, despite the earth below her being scorched by the flames of yesterday. Even if there wasn't much life left now as there was then, there was still _life._ It could be seen in the work people have done in the past two-hundred years to give the world some kind of second chance. It could be seen in the ancient stars, in the trees that outlived most of the world, and in the sky that had stayed for so long, letting the moon return each night and the sun return each morning.

The wars of the past seemed so pointless; useless. How did the people of the old world _not_ fall in love with the glow and warmth of the sun, the vibrant colors of the sky, and the ancient life of the Earth itself?

"It's crazy," Jack chuckled, arms crossed. "It's the same sky that I looked at two-hundred years ago."

The reporter looked up from her meal. He had a point. "Yeah. I've… never really thought about it that way."

"I just… it's seems funny to me. How the same sun and moon you see today is the same one I saw so long ago," he mused. "The two worlds we're from aren't so different."

"Psh, you think?" Piper scoffed. "From what you told me in that interview, Blue, there's not much difference between my world and your world."

Jack shook his head. "I know, I get that, it's just… sometimes I go on philosophical rants, and that happened to be one of 'em. Sorry."

 _There you go again, Wright. Saying things before you think them through. Good goin'._ She shook it off, returning to her food while they both continued to watch the same sky, from different mindsets.

 **[=]**

"Why the hell are we going back to Diamond City again, Blue?"

"I know we've made a shit ton of trips from there and back already, but I really need to get away from Sanctuary, and we ran out of my good alcohol back at home," Jack answered.

"So… you've got no good reason?"

"I've got no good reason."

The two approached the green and rusty gate, watching it rise from the ground and allowing them to enter. As they stepped through the entrance, Nat sprinted to Piper's side, yelling her name.

"Piper! Guess what happened while you were gone! Sheng Kowalski tried to kiss me!" the younger Wright sister squealed.

" _No,"_ she replied with a dramatic tone. "What'd ya do?"

"I knocked him on his ass," Nat admitted. "I've got detention."

"Oh, Nat, my beloved sister, never change. But you're _super_ grounded."

"Aw, come on!" Nat complained, retreating to the Publick.

Jack found himself smiling at the scene. "You handled that pretty well."

"Yeah," Piper began, a grin forming. "You learn how to deal with this stuff after ten years. Try raising a little sister sometime."

 _I could listen to her speak for hours_ , Jack thought to himself. _Dammit, you're doing it again. Quit it._ "Come on, let's go to the Dugout."

He could hear the intrepid reporter snicker behind him. "Well, I won't blame you if you need to get drunk to get through your day…"

"I'll have you know, _Ms. Wright,_ that I have a high alcohol tolerance," Jack elaborated, standing with perfect posture and speaking in a confident tone.

"Alright then, pretty boy," Piper gibed. "Let's put it to a test, then! What're we waitin' for?"

The two traversed through the commotion filled city, while Jack pointed out all the important parts of Fenway Park. _Man, this brings back memories._ Nostalgia sure was a damn crazy thing. He could remember coming to watch the Red Sox play against other teams as a child, and even after him and Nora got married.

"Don't listen to a thing that igit, Moe Cronin, tells ya," Jack cautioned. "His view of how we played baseball is completely wrong. Nobody _ever_ got hurt. You see these bases? If you hit the ball out of the main park, you had to run around all of 'em. A home run."

"Christ, Blue. An enthusiast, I take it?" Piper said, crossing her arms.

"You playin'?" he asked. "I _loved_ baseball. 'America's favorite pastime.' Don't know if you could get more American than baseball."

Eventually, after a history lesson on baseball from Jack, the two reached the Dugout Inn. The two sat down at the bar, ordering their drinks, when an old song popped into Jack's head.

 _I somehow knew you were there, lookin' like you didn't care. I reached for the change in my pocket, I counted the change in my pocket._

 _I wanted to buy you a beer, I somehow near you were near. The bartender said it's okay, the bartender said it's okay…_

He smirked as he counted a handful of caps, looking up at Piper momentarily. "Vadim, get me your best whiskey and a beer for Piper over here."

"Haha, anything for you, Jacky boy! How's about the good ole' Number Seven, yeah?" Vadim chatted.

"That stuff is still around here? Hell _yes._ "

"Alright, my good man! I'll get it right to ya!" Vadim exclaimed before turning away to get the alcohol, while Jack placed his caps on the counter. "Alright, a whiskey for you, and a beer for our favorite reporter. Enjoy."

"Thanks, Vadim," both said in unison, cracking open their drinks and taking a sip.

Jack could feel the whiskey burn in his throat. "Verdammt," he spoke in German. "Hits a bit harder after two-hundred years, then." _(Damn.)_

"Can't hold your alcohol, Blue?" Piper joked with a light punch to the shoulder.

"I in fact, _can,_ Piper," Jack replied, throwing back a quick swig of his whiskey.

Just as Jack set down his bottle of whiskey, two men barged through the door of the Inn. An average height man walked through the door first, a shit-eating grin plastered across his face. He wore a trilby hat, his name written on a tag that stuck out of the hat. The tag read _Dennis._ He looked like one of the infamous Triggermen seen around at Goodneighbor, but something in him told him that this man was no average Triggerman. A taller, much thinner man walked in behind him. He looked like he could be broken over someone's knee like a simple twig. A tag on his shirt read the name _Tom._

"Dennis and Tom are here!" Dennis exclaimed. "Vadim, what'cha got for me and ole Tommy over here?"

"You nasty mercenaries aren't getting anything without paying!"

"Aw, come on, buddy, we're regulars here! You gotta give us something," Dennis insisted, pulling out a switchblade and pointing it at the Russian bartender.

Vadim put his hands up in a panic. "Fine, fine! Here," he said, passing the two infamous mercs a few bottles of alcohol. Jack watched as they downed the alcohol in nothing flat.

"Hey Dennis, check it out. The Vault Dweller is here, the one who was frozen for two hundred years," Tom said to his partner.

"No suh!" said Dennis, lightly pushing Jack. "Hey, Vaultie. What're you doin' here? Drownin' out your sorrows?"

"Don't call me that," Jack retorted.

"Calm your liver, Vaultie. I'm just playin' with ya," the mercenary said. "Say, what'cha doin' down here with little Miss Reporter? You two on a date? Or is she a replacement for that late wife of yours?"

 _Now you've crossed the damn line._ Jack stood up from his stool, coming face to face with the mercenary. Rage burned inside him. "Don't bring Piper or my late wife into this."

"Aw, he's upset. Back away, Vaultie," Dennis warned, shoving him away. The entire bar was watching now.

Jack shoved him back, anger getting the best of him. "Listen, you son of a bitch. You don't call me Vaultie, and you don't talk 'bout my wife like that. Leave now with your shitty partner."

"Now you're askin' for it, Vaultie!" the mercenary said, throwing a punch at Jack. He ducked underneath him, striking him in the chest.

In the corner of his eye, he noticed the other mercenary going after Piper. As Jack quickly got out of Dennis's reach, he watched Piper momentarily. As Tom attempted a roundhouse kick, the reporter grabbed his boot in midair, twisting his foot. The man fell to the ground, writhing in pain. _She's got 'em._ In his moment of distraction, Dennis had recovered and took the advantage. He spun Jack around, slugging him in the mouth.

 _Come on, you can take him. Sic' 'em._

Jack wiped the blood from his lips and Dennis pulled out his switchblade. "C'mon, Vaultie, that all ya got?" he teased him once more. The mercenary rushed him, blade open. Before he could get a slice on him with the blade, the former soldier quickly knocked it out of his hands, sending it flying. He grabbed it out of midair, shoving it in the thigh of his enemy and turning it, opening the wound more. He pulled the knife out of his own thigh, throwing it to the ground.

"Your wife wouldn't be impressed, Vaultie!"

A growl formed within Jack's throat, and the rage he held in his chest was noticeable in his eyes. The snarl sounded nothing like the soft vault dweller, but a man broken by the wasteland. A killer. _Show him what you can do, killer._ Dennis rushed him once more, throwing punches at the vault dweller, every single one being blocked. Jack caught the last punch, twisting his arm and forcing him down onto one knee. The man cried in pain as he further twisted his arm beyond his flexibility. In what seemed like milliseconds, the other mercenary approached the two and kicked Jack in the head. In his blurry vision, he could just barely make out Piper laying on the floor beside him. His inside voice screamed. _Get up! Help her! Goddammit, save her!_

He felt a heavy boot on his chest. "Say goodnight, Vaultie," the mercenary said, pointing a gun at Jack's head. The former soldier quickly pulled his own knife from its sheathe and stabbed Dennis in the leg once more. The merc fell to the floor as Jack got up, his vision slowly returning. The other mercenary shot his 10mm at Jack, only to fail miserably as dodged every bullet and shoved the knife into Tom's stomach. He fell to the floor, blood pooling below him as he was barely breathing.

Dennis finally made a return. Jack grabbed him by his arm, pulling him closer and kneeing him in the groin. The mercenary bent over, allowing the former soldier to grab an empty alcohol bottle and smash it over his head. Dennis fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Jacky boy!" Vadim exclaimed, sprinting to his side and shaking his hand. "Thank you, my good friend! They've been terrorizing my bar for long enough."

"Don't worry about it. Are the guards coming?"

Vadim nodded. "Yefim is getting them now."

Jack quickly thanked him before rushing to Piper's side. He helped her up as she groaned in pain. "You alright?"

"I-I'll be fine," she croaked, holding her hat to her head.

"What the hell did they do to you?" Jack asked, allowing her to lean up against him.

"One of 'em h-hit me over the h-head with the b-butt of their pistol," Piper admitted.

"Shit, we gotta get you to Doc Sun, in case you have a concussion," he said, worry in his voice. "I'm sorry I didn't notice. I could've stopped them from attackin' you. They only wanted me, it seemed."

"J-Jack, I'll be fine… It isn't your f-fault," she tried to convince him.

"No. You got hurt on _my watch._ We're going to Doctor Sun," he argued.

Yefim and a group of Diamond City Guards burst through the door. One guard approached the two. "If this happens again, Vault Dweller, we're locking your ass up too."

"Well, it's nice to see you too," Jack jibed. The guard shook his head and continued forward, locking the two mercs up while one other guard patched up Tom.

"You almost killed both of 'em. Watch yourself," the same guard warned, dragging one of the mercenaries out the door.

Another guard approached the two. "I ain't tellin' ya who to be friends with, but be careful gettin' chummy with the reporter. Well, at least she's got you to keep her in check. You took care of those two mercs pretty well."

Both turned red as tatos. Jack and Piper weren't sure if the guard meant _'getting chummy with the reporter,'_ and ' _at least she's got you to keep her in check,'_ as in they were actually _together,_ but that was what they took it as.

"W-Well, uh, thanks for the compliment, I guess?" Jack said. "W-We've got to, uh, we've got to go."

"Alright. Well, you two stay out of trouble," the guard said as the two hurried out of the Dugout.

They were silent for a few minutes after leaving the Inn, until Piper spoke up, complaining. "God, my head hurts."

"You alright?" Jack asked, stopping a few feet before her.

"Y-Yeah I'm…. f-fine," Piper said, nearly falling over. "Damn… dizziness…"

"Alright, that's it," the former soldier said. "I'm picking you up."

"W-What? N-No, I'm fine!" she exclaimed, to no avail. Jack picked her up, bridal style. "Goddammit, Blue. You know, I hate you sometimes."

"Yeah, well, I hate you too. With good reasoning and intentions, of course," he said, carrying her to Doctor Sun's office as the sun began to set over Diamond City.


	7. Significant Annoyance

"How ya feeling, Red?" Jack called out from across the small apartment that was Home Plate.

"I'm feeling _great,_ Blue," the reporter replied with a sarcastic tone, sprawled out on the red couch. "I got knocked over the head by a mercenary with a damn pistol. I'm feeling mighty fine!"

"Jeez, sorry I asked."

"Why the hell are we in Home Plate anyway, and not in the comforts of my own home?" Piper questioned, sitting up slightly to look over at her companion.

"Well, after I spent nearly all my caps on this place not too long ago, I had to clear out all these damn boxes," he began to explain, stacking an empty box on top of other empty boxes. "I just sorta… shoved em in the corner. Might be something in here that's useful. Y'never know."

"And you never even thought about doing this when you bought the damn place?" retorted the Diamond City dame.

"Oh, Piper, my dearest friend," he began, turning around to face her. "I am a _very_ busy guy."

Piper scoffed. "Yeah, sure you are. A busy man like you has stuff to do, like going to the Dugout to get whiskey and beat up some blood-thirsty mercs. Yeah, you're a pretty busy guy."

"Oh, hush."

"Not to mention your _errands_ gave me this headache, Blue," Piper continued, rubbing it in more as she lit a cigarette.

"You know, smokin' ain't gonna help ya there," the former soldier said, further irritating Piper.

She exhaled smoke out of her mouth out of spite. "I never knew someone's voice could make a headache worse."

"Oh, come on, you know you _love me,_ " Jack joked, returning to scavenging through the boxes, while Piper thanked God that he couldn't see how red her face was.

 _Well…_ "Oh, of _course_ I do," Piper said in response, making sure her tone was as sarcastic as possible. _Maybe you're not wrong._

"Holy shit," Jack mumbled under his breath. "Piper, come take a look at this."

"Let me guess, you won the damn lottery," she said, picking herself up off the couch, cigarette still in hand.

"You fucking wish," he said, holding up what Piper could only describe as a small guitar.

"A guitar? What's so great about a guitar?" she questioned, taking one last drag of her cigarette before dropping it in the nearby ashtray.

Jack stood up, approaching her with the instrument. "This isn't just _any_ guitar, Red. This is a ukulele!"

"A uku-what now?"

"A ukulele. Kinda like a guitar, but… just sweeter sounding," Jack explained, giving it a quick strum. "This needs some tuning."

"You know how to play?" Piper asked, crossing her arms.

"Of course I do," he retorted, twisting the tuners and strumming the strings to get the right sound. "There, that should do it. You wanna hear a song? You should know this one."

Piper plopped down on the red couch beside him, head resting against the back. "Go for it, Blue. Woo me."

The familiar rift to the beginning of an Ink Spots song echoed through the home. Piper had listened to almost all of their songs, yet still never knew how to distinguish between each song due to that damn rift that every one of their songs started with. _At least its catchy… if it ain't broke, don't fix it._

It came to no surprise to her that Jack was pretty good at playing the instrument; he could sing, he could help others, and he could make her fall for him, no matter how hard she tried to resist it.

As soon as he began singing, she knew which song it was. _"I don't want to set the world on fire, I just want to start a flame in your heart. In my heart, I have but one desire, and that one is you, no other will do._

" _I've lost all ambition for worldly acclaim, I just want to be the one you love. And with your admission that you feel the same, I'll have reached the goal I'm dreaming of. Believe me, I don't want to set the world on fire, I just want to start a flame in your heart."_

"You're really good at that, Blue," Piper complimented him as he rested the ukulele against the couch. _Like, way too good._

"Finally, the first thing out of your mouth that hasn't been sarcastic from you tonight," he said, laughing. "Thanks, Red. My father taught me how to play."

"By the way, what the hell is with the nickname?" Piper asked, an eyebrow raised.

Jack rested a hand on his thigh. "What, I can't give you a nickname?"

"No, that's not it… just… why'd you pick it?"

"Well, you know," he began, trailing off a bit. "I m-mean, you've got the 'blue' nickname for me because of my vault suit, and your jacket's red, so…"

"That makes sense," Piper replied. "We sound even more like a jazz combo more than a traveling outfit, but you know, it works!"

"Glad you like the nickname. Took me _forever_ to come up with it," Jack said, adding a bit of dramatic flair. "I'm gettin' some noodles. Want to come with?"

"Why not. Might help the headache our mercenary buddies caused," the reporter answered, emerging from her spot on the couch.

"Yeah, might help bring down your sarcasm levels a notch too," Jack joked, earning a light, playful punch in the shoulder. "C'mon, let's get those noodles before we turn in for the night."

 **[=]**

The reporter and former soldier sat down at the noodle stand, waiting for Takahashi to come around and greet them with the same _nan-ni shimasho-ka_ as per usual.

"I feel like I'm in college again, eating all these damn noodles," Jack said, taking a sip of his Nuka-Cola. "Not that I'm complaining."

"Nan-ni shimasho-ka?" came the malfunctioning Japanese robot, to which Jack replied with a "yes."

As the robot turned away to prepare their dinner, the two took the moment to enjoy the semi-silence of the baseball stadium-turned city. The walls of the shanty homes creaked, while the footsteps of playing children echoed throughout the city.

"This is kind of… nice," the vault dweller spoke up, breaking the silence as Takahashi finally brought over their noodle bowls.

Piper nodded. "It isn't often you get this much quiet time in the Commonwealth. But I guess such is life."

"We gotta hang out here during the night more often, Red," Jack said, digging into his noodles.

Just then, Nick approached the two, resting his hands on their shoulders. "Well, if it ain't my favorite nosy reporter and my favorite vault dweller. What're you two doin' out here this late? It's after midnight, now."

"I think we should be asking you the same question," Piper replied, turning around on the stool to face the synthetic detective.

"I'm getting Ellie take-out. Poor woman, she worked more than she needed to and burned herself out. She deserves the noodles, a raise, and then some," Nick admitted. "Anyways, enough about me. You two on some date?"

It only took five words from the detective's mouth to fluster them both, their faces burning.

"W-What? No, we're j-just…" Piper stuttered, but was cut off by Jack's sarcastic tone.

"Oh, _of c-course,_ we are Nick," he joked, trying to pull the attention away from the fact that his face was as red as a Nuka-Cola Cherry bottle. "Nah, we're just getting some d-dinner before we hit the hay."

Nick chuckled. "Alright, well, don't stay out for too long, lovebirds," he continued to tease. "Oh, by the way… Jack, I've got a case that needs solving. You interested?"

"Yeah, I could help you out with the case. Want to tackle it in the morning?"

"Doesn't make much difference to me," Nick answered. "As long as it gets finished soon. It's been burning a hole on my desk for quite some time now."

"Alright, sounds like a plan! See you in the morning, Nick."

"Yeah, take care," the synth replied, taking the bowl of noodles from Takahashi. "I better take these to Ellie before she keels over. Night, you two."

The two returned to their noodles. "See, I strive to have that level of friendship with people," Jack mused. "Nick and Elle are practically soulmates."

Piper lightly jabbed him in the side with her elbow. "Well, you've got me, don't you?"

"What? I've only told you most of my life story," Jack replied in a sarcastic tone. "We're _only_ friends."

The reporter shook her head. "You're an ass."

"I get that a lot," he told her, twisting the noodles around his chopsticks before eating them. "I'm just getting back at you for earlier."

"All jokes aside, Jack, you're a pretty great person," Piper said genuinely. "You've helped Sheffield, you've helped the people at Sanctuary and other settlements. You're on your way to destroying the Commonwealth's boogeyman… hell, you just accepted to help Nick on a case, and bring some kind of justice. Honestly, Blue, you've got somethin' good going for ya."

A smile formed on the vault dweller's lips. "Thank you… that… means a lot, coming from you," he began. "God knows I have a lot of blood on my hands."

"That's not something to be ashamed about Blue. Everyone has-"

"I never told you what happened when I was in China, did I?" Jack asked her, to which she shook her head. "I was on a mission doing God knows what. I don't even remember if we had clear orders or not. But what I do remember was that we were getting our asses handed to us. Me, the lieutenant and my group were going through a bunch of buildings, and we… we found a Chinese family, huddled in a corner, scared out of their wits.

"You know what my lieutenant told me to do? He told me to kill them. They… they couldn't even defend themselves. My God, I pleaded with him to let them live, but he said I'd be brought up on charges of treason. And so… I did it. At that point, I had developed PTSD and they let me retire. For so long after the fact, I could still see the look of terror on their faces and hear their screams."

"Christ," was all Piper could get out. _How the hell do you muster up the courage to tell that to somebody?_

"It's been over two hundred years, and… I've gotten over it mostly, but… sometimes it just comes back to me, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it," Piper replied. "You kill someone, whether it be someone you're forced to in your case, or even some raider, and you sit and think about the fact that you just _killed someone._ You denied someone the right to living. They don't exist anymore. They're gone from the face of the earth. And you can't reverse it. And you can't stop thinking about it."

Jack stared down at the nearly empty noodle bowl. "Thank you. Most of the people I've told that story to flip out on me because it was such a horrible act. So, thanks for understanding."

"Hey, no problem," she said, resting her hand on his shoulder. "It's getting kind of late, we should head back."

"You're right, I'm getting sort of tired myself. Wanna crash at Home Plate?" Jack asked, standing up from the stool.

"Sure, why not. Nat should be fine at home for the night," Piper said.

"Alrighty, Home Plate it is."

 **[=]**

 _Snick._

The flip lighter flicked on and off at Jack's command. Exhaustion settled in his bones, but he was too tired to sleep. It was still hours before he had to be at the agency for the case, and it was too cold to go back outside. What else was he to do?

 _Snick._

Aside from a small light over the workbench at the other end of the room, the flame from the lighter was all Jack had, and it was all he needed. It was the first time in a while he actually got to sit down and just… think. He was always so damn busy that he never got the time to do anything besides eat a quick meal and work. Jack had worked his ass off from the moment he left the vault up until he left the Institute. And by God, he needed some time off.

 _Snick._ He flicked the lighter off and then back on again. _Snick._ He half expected Nora to walk by him and give him a light lecture on how _"playing with fire is dangerous, dear."_ But no, it just had to be Piper (whom he expected to be asleep by know) who was the one to lecture him.

"Blue?" Piper called out, turning over on the couch to face him. "I wouldn't be flicking that lighter like that if I were you."

Jack looked up from the flame, flicking it off again. _Snick._ "The sound bothering you?"

"No, but you're playing with damn _fire,_ Blue. That spells danger in my mind," Piper cautioned. _And the similarities don't end, do they?_

 _Snick._ He did it again, this time out of spite for both the woman that rested on the couch and the one that lingered in the back of his head.

The reporter let out a sigh. "I mean, if you want to set the entirety of Home Plate aflame with both you and I in here, go for it. You do you, Jack."

A smile grew on Jack's face, and he was sure the dame could see it in the light from the flame before she turned back over. "G'night, Piper."

"Night, Jack. Oh and, don't burn down the place, alright?" she replied.

A soft laugh escaped past the former soldier's lips. "No promises."

 _Snick._ He stared down at the flip lighter in his hand, the one he had gotten from Nora so long ago, and then back up at the reporter on his couch. When the hell did… _this_ happen? When the hell had he fallen for her? And how could he have let it get this far? He hated every single second of it, by God, he did. Yet, a part of him _wanted_ it, welcomed the jittery feeling he was slowly developing in his chest whenever he saw her. But it was only a month since he left the vault. Who the hell in their right mind gets over their dead spouse in a month and develops some kind of damn crush for someone all at the same time?

 _Fair point. But you're not in your right mind._

 _Snick,_ his lighter went again. He had come at an impasse with his own inner voice. _I can't exactly argue with that, now, can I?_

Flicking the lighter off one last time and closing it, Jack pocketed the item before heading up to his own bed on the second floor. _And now I'm dreaming of you._


	8. The Disappearing Act

_5:36am,_ read Jack's pip-boy. He gave in; sleep wasn't going to come to him any time soon.

The vault dweller emerged from his bed, finding a piece of paper and a pen. He quickly jotted a message down on the paper, placing it down on the table next to the couch that his companion slept on. Grabbing his rifle and throwing on his riot coat, Jack hurried out the front door of Home Plate and made his way to the agency.

The city was still fairly quiet, aside from a few of the shopkeepers setting up for the upcoming day and the early birds chirping. A thin layer of snow covered the ground, causing the sky to have a light glow to it. Jack approached the door, lightly knocking. The door opened to reveal Nick, coffee mug in hand.

"You're here early," the synth detective greeted.

"Couldn't sleep," Jack admitted. "Thought we'd get an early start on the case, yeah?"

Nick nodded. "Come on in, the case files are on my desk."

Jack picked up the file, reading it to himself. _Case: Earl Sterling's Disappearance. Client: Vadim Bobrov. Another disappearing act to unravel. Earl Sterling, twenty-five year old bartender at the Dugout Inn. One of the owners, Vadim Bobrov, noticed that Earl hadn't been into work for a few days._

"Ah yes, the Earl Sterling case. Apparently, Earl just up and disappeared one day, and no one has seen him since," Nick explained. "Been meaning to put Earl's case to rest for a while now. I'm glad you're up to do it, Jack."

Jack nodded. "Hey, I'm glad to be of help to you."

"Now, let's see here… he didn't have any enemies, that's for sure. Someone would have to notice you're alive first. He wasn't exactly charismatic any crimes, either," Nick mused.

"It couldn't have been the Institute, right?" Jack asked.

"I guess we'll just have to see for ourselves. We'll want to talk to the people at the Dugout Inn. No one knew him better than these folks. Oughta ask around, see what people may or may not know," Nick told Jack, resting his coffee mug on his desk. "Lead the way."

The detectives found themselves at the Dugout Inn. Not many people were there- that was to be expected at almost six in the morning. _Hopefully these people have some info,_ Jack thought.

Paul Pembroke stood by the Port-A-Diner, trying desperately to get the preserved pie out of the two-hundred year old contraption. "Hey, Paul?"

"What? Can't you see I'm busy?" he snapped.

"Jeez, sorry. I was just wondering if you knew anything about Earl Sterling's disappearance," Jack asked him, arms crossed.

"Nope. All I know is that he was here one day, gone the next," he explained. "Now, if you'll allow me, I've been trying to get this damn pie out for hours."

"Thanks for your time anyways. _Jackass,"_ the former soldier said, mumbling the last part under his breath.

The two detectives asked nearly everyone in the bar for information, to no avail. Nobody had any stable clues as to what happened to the poor man. Finally, Jack approached Vadim, asking if he knew anything. After all, him and Earl were coworkers.

"Hello, Jack! Business has been much better since you took care of our mercenary friends! What brings you to my bar today?" Vadim greeted him, setting his tablecloth to the side.

"Earl Sterling used to work here. Is that right?" Jack asked, leaning against the bar.

"Yes, yes. Poor Earl, gone just like that. Such a good bartender and friend. Oh, but terrible with women, mind you. Bull in a china shop with them. Much better with men, though," the Russian bartender said. "You with Valentine's Detective Agency? Forgot to drop off Earl's key when I hired you people. Here."

Jack took the key, pocketing it. "Thanks, Vadim."

"I hope you find out what happened to him. Security does nothing but yell at me for asking about it. Anyway, you look like you need a drink."

"I'll pass for now, Vadim," Jack said. "Don't want to be drunk while on a detective case, would I?"

"That is fair," he said, laughing. "Good luck, friend!"

Jack nodded before noticing Yefim in the corner of his eye. "Hey, Yefim! Did you know Earl Sterling?"

Yefim looked up from his sweeping. "Course I did. One of my brother's old friends. Oh boy, the way those two would go on about girls. Heh, you think Vadim is loud now… Earl was a horrible womanizer. I warned him more than once to leave the staff and customers alone, but Vadim always stood up for him," the Bobrov brother explained. "Honestly, I'm sort of glad he's gone. Wouldn't shut up about the new face he was going to get at the Mega Surgery Center. Vain till the end, I suppose."

"Thanks for your time, Yefim. I appreciate it," Jack thanked him before turning around and meeting back up with Nick. "I got the key to his house. Yefim also mentioned something about him getting a new face at the Mega Surgery Center. I dunno how that ties in, but it's got to somehow."

"Alright, well lets head to his place, then," Nick said, and the two found themselves inside Earl Sterling's home. "I'll start in here. Why don't you check out the living room? Must be some hint as to where Earl ran off to."

The house was rather small like all homes below the upper stands, but a comfortable one at that. Jack turned on the light on his pip-boy, allowing him to see better in the darker room.

"You know, for all the talk, I'd put the chances of this being an Institute snatch job somewhere between zero and none. Just think about it," Nick started, bending down in front of one of the shelves. "Earl Sterling, local _assistant_ bartender. Why not nab the bartender himself?"

"I see what you mean," Jack said, searching through the dresser. "Why would the Institute grab the person who doesn't even own the bar?"

"Exactly," Nick said, trailing off for a moment. "Lord knows Vadim samples his own wares enough that some weird behavior wouldn't make anyone bat an eyelash."

The two continued to search the house that belonged to the late assistant bartender. "And Earl had lousy people skills," Nick continued. "Might score the Institute some points in the 'last person you'd expect' category… but why not snatch someone with charm? Someone who could get you what you want? Earl could barely get you a drink by closing on an early night."

"It just doesn't fit together properly. So, where does that leave us, Nick?"

"He had no known enemies. Wasn't much for the outdoors, so likely not raiders or mutants. This all screams accident. Now, what was Earl into that might have given him all this trouble?" Nick mused, searching through the filing cabinets and everything that could house anything.

Jack bent down next to the couch, picking up some sort of file. "I think this might give us the answer," he said, handing it to Nick.

"A receipt from the Mega Surgery Center, huh? Wonder what our good doctors have to say about that," the detective said, handing the receipt back to Jack. "Let's head out."

 **[=]**

Piper awoke to a silent home, void of any flickering lighters or breathing coming from her companion. _Don't tell me he left already._ The couch creaked as the reporter sat up, sinking her feet into her boots. As she went to grab her press cap, she noticed a lit cigarette in the ashtray that laid next to her discarded one from the evening prior, and a piece of paper laying carelessly next to the ashtray. _If he doesn't set the place on fire with his lighter, then he'll most certainly set the paper on fire with that damn cigarette._

After extinguishing the lit cigarette, Piper grabbed the paper, reading it. _Morning, Red. Left early, couldn't sleep. Stuff for coffee is on my desk. Told you I wouldn't burn the place down! See you soon. Signed, Blue._ She cracked a smile, shaking her head at the last line. _Silly._

The reporter sighed. _Guess I have some time on my hands._ Piper grabbed the notebook she always kept with her out of her trench coat, flipping to one of the empty pages. On it was an uncompleted rough draft about the Brotherhood of Steel, and who they were. In her own messy handwriting, a quote from Nick was written down on the top. _Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing._ Piper bit the end of pen. She needed to get this done, _dammit._ Caps were tight, rent was coming up, and she wouldn't dare ask Jack or anyone else for the caps she needed. She read over the very few sentences she had before remembering that Jack had left stuff to make coffee. _A coffee a day keeps the writer's block away,_ she felt herself recalling the phrase she lived by. Putting down her paper and pen, Piper leapt from the couch over to the desk, gathered everything she needed, and made herself a much needed cup of morning coffee. _Thanks, Jack._

Yet, as the reporter returned to the couch, her phrase proved untrue. All the words she wanted to use didn't seem to fit properly, and her mind seemed to aimlessly wander to a certain vault dweller all too often. Her coffee was now gone, and there were little to no words added to the paper in front of her. A loud, frustrated sigh escaped Piper's lips as she slumped down further into the couch.

She spoke aloud to herself out of stress. "Yeah, I know what I'll fucking write. I can see the headliner know. 'Ace Reporter Can't Write Article Due to Crush on Vault Dweller.'"

 _Man,_ Piper thought. _I'm goddamn pathetic._ Another sigh escaped her; a defeated one. "Alright, Piper. Let's do the thing. Let's write," she tried encouraging herself, to no avail.

"You know, I hate you, Jack," Piper mused aloud, clearly frustrated. "You just _had_ to meet me at the gate and somehow got me to fall for you. Nice goddamn job."

 **[=]**

The sun had slowly began to creep out from behind the hills by the time Nick and Jack reached Doctor Sun at the Mega Surgery Center. The doctor that had ruled out the possibility of Piper having a concussion the evening prior stood over his chem station, cleaning his needles.

"Hey, Doc," Jack greeted, grabbing what he had found at Earl's home. "Would you know anything about this receipt?"

"Let me see," the doctor said, taking the receipt. "This is Doc Crocker's handwriting, alright. Looks like Earl Sterling was one of his patients. The procedure noted here is mundane. Low-risk cosmetic work. Doctor Crocker never performed it, however, said Earl vanished before he could pay."

"Where is Doc Crocker?" Jack questioned, putting all his weight on one foot.

"Last time I saw him, he had to get something out of the surgery cellar. Probably had to wash some needles or move some storage around," Sun answered.

"Do you have a key I could use to get into that cellar, doctor?"

"What does this look like, a public outhouse? You know what, don't answer," Sun said, shaking his head. "Why on earth would I let you down there anyway?"

"That basement may give us a clue as to what happened to Earl Sterling," Jack explained to the doctor. "I'm investigating his disappearance."

"What? You can't honestly think… you know what, fine. If it'll put the matter to rest. Here," Doctor Sun agreed, handing him the key to the cellar. "But if I find one instrument out of place, you'll be getting the bill."

"Thanks, Doc," Jack said, turning to the cellar door. Looking down, he noticed blood staining the floor. _How the hell did Sun not notice this?_ "Where the hell did all this blood come from? It goes right to the basement."

"Well, let's check it out, then," Nick told him.

"Right." The two entered the basement after unlocking it, finding a cave with chains hanging from the ceiling. The one and only Doc Crocker stood behind a bloody table with a baseball bat leaning against it.

"Oh, Earl. You've... you've really been a handful, you know?" Crocker spoke aloud to the dismembered corpse of Earl Sterling. "But I think we're just about done. Our little mistake is finally going to be… corrected."

"Your time's up, Crocker," Nick spoke from behind Jack.

The doctor turned around, wielding a 10mm pistol. "Oh, naughty, naughty! You two aren't supposed to be down here! But that's okay, I can fix that. I can fix anything," Crocker babbled in a craze.

"Doc, take it easy. Let's talk about Earl," Jack said, attempting to talk him down. He took his hand off his pistol, allowing for a more trusting environment.

"I-I didn't mean to do it! You have to believe me. Doc Crocker is a brilliant surgeon. No one dies under his care, no one dies!" he said, his voice shaking. "They just walk away happy. Happy with my work. Happy with their new face. Not screaming. Not bleeding out on the floor. Earl… he… he just didn't want to be happy. That must have been it."

"You really think you can get away with this?

"Get away with this?" Doc Crocker repeated his question, laughing. "Don't you know who I am? I'm Doc Crocker! Doc Crocker never does anything wrong. And once this is all over, no one will have any reason to question that."

"You made a mistake, but you can still do the right thing, doctor. Just think this through."

"Drop the weapon, doc. Haven't enough people suffered today?" Nick added, eyeing Earl's corpse.

"You're… you're right," Crocker agreed. "There's one thing I can do. Only one thing is going to make this all better. I… I can fix anything."

In the matter of a second, Crocker had picked up the bat that laid against the table, and hit Jack over the head with it, and everything went black.

 **[=]**

 _I wouldn't be upset with you if you moved on._

Jack's eyes slowly opened, welcoming him back to the world. His head hurt like hell and his vision blurred. He could just barely make out three figures standing a few feet away from where he was laying.

"…and make sure he gets enough water and rest. The only way he will properly recover from the concussion is rest," he heard someone say, presumably a doctor.

"Crocker hit him pretty good," a synthetic voice said.

"I'm… just glad he's alright," a feminine voice added.

Finally, his vision began to clear up. Piper, Nick, and Doctor Sun all stood before him.

"Oh, look. He's waking up now," Nick alerted the other two. "How are you feeling, kid?"

"I feel like someone dropped a brahmin on my head," the vault dweller said, rubbing his head as he slowly sat up. "What happened after I blacked out? I remember Crocker saying there was only one way left to fix all of this, and then the rest is blurry."

"The doc hit you pretty hard with a baseball bat," Nick explained. "Then he overdosed on psycho. Sun and I dragged you out of the basement, and I got Piper over here while Sun got you patched up."

"Thanks for dragging my sorry ass outta there," Jack thanked them.

"Not a problem."

"You should be cleared to go, Jack. If anything else seems out of place, come see me," Doc Sun explained. "I should get the word to the Dugout Inn, let them know what happened."

"Thanks again, Doc," Jack called out, stepping through the door. As soon as his feet hit the ground, Piper wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders in a bear hug. "Ooph. Thanks for the hug, Red, but you're sorta killing me, here."

Piper let go of him, wiping down her trench coat. "Sorry. I was just… worried. Glad you're okay."

"You don't need to worry about me, Piper," Jack reassured her. "So, uh… noodles?"


	9. It's Bad for Me

Jack needed to do something.

He had always hated the feeling of being restricted, whether it be by a person, or in his case, an injury. His head hurt like hell, but by God did he want to get up do something, _anything_ he could. Especially now. He needed some kind of distraction from his thoughts. Perhaps Doc Crocker hit him a little harder than he thought with that damn baseball bat, because he couldn't keep his mind off Piper. The companion in question leaned against the counter, facing away from Jack with one hand resting on the counter's surface, the other hand nursing a cup of coffee.

 _Wonder if her thoughts are as scattered and crazy as mine right now._ "You alright, Piper?"

A chuckle came from the reporter. "I should be asking _you_ that question."

"Piper, I'm _fine._ Now, are _you_ alright? Something seems to be worrying you," Jack said, slowly sitting up. His vision blurred as vertigo took over, causing him to grip the couch cushions until his knuckles were white.

The reporter rested her cup on the counter before turning to face her companion. "Blue! You- you need to take it easy."

Jack shook his head. "I told you, I'm alright, Red. Don't worry about me," Jack attempted to reassure her. As he stood up to get himself a cup of coffee, his damned vertigo got the best of him. His balance began to fail him as he grabbed onto the arm of the chair, stopping him from falling. Waiting for the vertigo to subside, he closed his eyes tightly. When he opened them, Piper was by his side, her words echoing in his ear.

"Jesus Christ, Jack. You almost just fell over," Piper said. "What are you even trying to do, anyway?"

"I wanted to _prove_ that I'm alright so that you'd tell me if _you're_ alright," Jack explained, looking up into her smaragdine green eyes. "I also wanted coffee."

Piper sighed. "One, you should be drinking water, not coffee. Caffeine isn't gonna help ya, Blue. Two, if you're trying to prove that, you're doing a terrible job at it. And third, I'm _fine._ Just damn worried about you, and you're not making this any damn easier."

"Listen, Red, I need to do _something_ and one of those things is getting something to drink," Jack replied, attempting to stand up again, to no avail. He nearly fell on Piper before catching himself, leaving his face just a few inches away from Piper's face. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, Jack could see Nora's emerald eyes instead of Piper's eyes. They stood there for what seemed like years, yet was only a few seconds. _Holy shit, oh my god, what the fuck-_

They both snapped out of their ensnared trances, and the reporter nearly pushed him back into a sitting position on the couch. "Goddammit, you're so _fucking_ stubborn. Sit down, and I'll get you water."

 _That was way too close._ Jack finally sat down, letting his head lean against the back of the couch and allowing his eyes to close. "I told you, you don't need to worry about me."

His companion returned, purified water in hand. "Blue, you're my closest friend, and you have a concussion," she said, handing him the water. "Of course I'm going to be worried."

The vault dweller crossed his ankles and rested an arm behind his head. "Piper, the only thing you need to worry about is yourself, okay?" Jack told her, taking a sip of his water.

"That's the thing, Jack," she said, sitting down next to him. "In the short time that we've known each other, I've learned that you're a selfless person. You… you put other's well-being before your own personal gain. And while being willing to help people is a good trait to have, I'm beginning to fear that it'll be your downfall."

"So, what?" he said in response. "There are people in the Commonwealth that need help, that _deserve_ help. I've… I've reached the point of no return. I'm _not_ a good person. Most of those people that need help haven't reached that point."

A gloved hand reached up to his dark brown hair, her fingers gently running through it. "Dammit, Blue. You know that's not true. To so many people, you're a damn hero."

"I'm no hero, Piper. I'm a _killer-"_

"Well, you're a _fucking hero_ in my book!" she snapped, pulling her hand away from his head.

The room went entirely silent until Piper spoke up again. "Blue, you and I, people like us… we burn ourselves out for others. And… you're right. A lot of people deserve our help. But we need to take a break for ourselves sometimes. I don't think I could stand seeing my friend break themselves down like that, not allowing themselves a break."

"Fine, I'll try to take it easier," Jack said, folding his arms. "You have a point."

"Thank God," Piper said, sighing in relief. Her hand returned to its spot on Jack's head, nimble fingers kneading his hair. "That makin' your headache feel any better?"

A groan came from the vault dweller. "Yeah, it's definitely helping. Thank you," he said, closing his eyes and allowing his companion to continue to run her fingers through his hair. "You're a damn good friend."

 _Yeah, go ahead, friendzone yourself and Piper. Always works._

"Well, I try my best," Piper said with a smile. "You up for some music?"

"Go crazy. Just turn the volume down a bit, my head is still hurting like a bastard," the former soldier replied, sitting up in his seat. "Could ya put on Old World Tunes? DCR is gettin' a bit boring for me."

Piper nodded, turning on the station of her friend's request, and making sure the volume was low. The host's voice spoke over the speaker. " _Hey, Vault Dweller, if you're out there, stop by the station sometime. I'd love to get an interview for this series I'm working on."_

The dame chuckled. "He wants _your_ interview, Blue? Doesn't he know you're a busy man?"

Jack shook his head. "Oh, shush."

"I mean," Piper started, "you said it yourself; you're a damn busy person."

The host of the radio station continued, despite the two. _"Anyways, let's get to the song I've been thinking about. Here's 'It's Bad for Me' by Rosemary Clooney, and Benny Goodman. A classic."_

"Yes! I _love_ this song," Jack exclaimed as the intro to the song began. "Those two are so good in this song." _Yeah, and it fits you and Piper, too._

Benny Goodman started out the first verse, while Piper silently sung the song to herself. _Oh, it's bad for me, yes, it's bad for me, this knowledge that you're going mad for me. I feel certain my friends would be glad for me, but it's bad for me._

 _Damn, right it's bad for me,_ Jack thought. _There are so many reasons that you and here can't be a thing!_

The second verse came with Rosemary Clooney's voice. _It's so good for you, so new for you to see someone in such a stew for you. And when I say I'll do all I could do for you, it's so good for you._

Her voice switched back out for Goodman's voice. _It's bad for me. I felt till you whispered to me, completely left on the shelf. But since you've started to woo me, I'm just crazy 'bout myself._

 _Let's see,_ the former soldier began to think. _You're two-hundred and fourteen years older than her…_

 _It's a boon for you, a break for you, to hear that my heart's on the make for you. Yet no matter however appealing I still have a feeling it's bad for me,_ Clooney sang once more, her ancient voice ringing in Jack's ears.

 _And Piper's too much like Nora, don't forget that._

As the instrumental part of the song kicked in, Jack said, "You two are alike."

A very confused Piper looked up at her companion. "What?"

"You and Nora. You two are pretty similar."

"Uh, Blue, are you sure you're… are you alright?" Piper asked, sitting up a bit straighter and locking eyes with Jack.

"What? I'm… I'm fine, just hear me out," he started. "I swear, you two could be passed off as relatives. I mean, you both have green eyes, similar hairstyles, freckles… I mean- hold on."

Jack quickly dipped his hand into his pocket, pulling out a photo. The picture was of Nora holding Shaun, wearing a wide smile. Looking at the photo for the first time in a while was bittersweet. He had spent so much time avoiding looking at the damn thing in fear of breaking down over her death once more, but he always had it on him. The photo had always seemed like such a weight on his chest, suffocating him.

And by God, it sure felt damn good to look at it again, no matter how bittersweet.

He handed the old photo to Piper, who stared at it for a good moment. "Don't you see the similarities, Red?"

The song's lyrics returned with Benny Goodman repeating his verse again as the dame gave him an answer. _I felt till you whispered to me, completely left on the shelf. But since you started to woo me, I'm just crazy 'bout myself._

"I… I guess you're… guess you're right about that," Piper replied, still looking at the picture.

"The similarities don't end there," Jack began to explain as the song continued with Clooney's voice.

 _It's a boon for you, a break for you, to hear that my heart's on the make for you…_

"Both truth seekers, looking out for others…"

The song finally ended with both artists singing the last two lines. _Yet no matter however appealing, I still have a feeling it's bad… for me!_

Jack gave a half-hearted, nostalgia-filled laugh. "She would always be making sure I was okay. Never made time for herself, though. Never took breaks. I always… felt so bad, you know? I eventually got her to tone it down on the whole over-working herself thing. You know, as much as you two are alike, I don't think you two would get along very well."

"Why do you say that?" Piper asked, looking down at the photo and then back up at her companion.

"Well, for one, she didn't exactly like the press," Jack began, chuckling. "Back then, most of the shit the press put out there was just blatant lies, corruptness, and covering up the truth." _Not much different than what the world was like anyways back then._

"And… well, I feel like if she was in my shoes right now, she wouldn't care about anything except for avenging me and getting Shaun back," he continued. "I was like that for a while, but now… if I can't have a fresh start at life with my son, than the world should get what I didn't get back."

"I mean, it's for the good of getting Shaun back, right?" Piper said.

"I guess so," Jack replied. "She barely had a sarcastic bone in her body, too. I mean, she could be sarcastic, but her attempts were almost always failures. Heh, I can hear her failed quips in my head now."

 _You know, perhaps they aren't as alike as I once thought._ He had spent all this time focusing on their similar looks and the few aspects of their personalities that were similar, but never once thought about their _many_ differences that he somehow had just looked over.

He chuckled, memories of his past wife flooding into his mind. "Nora was… she was shorter than most, a good six or seven inches shorter than me. She had dark brown hair similar to mine, an old scar on her chin from her family dog, and a scar on her nose from a time she fell. She had the dorkiest smile… never could make a real smile unless you made her laugh. God, I miss her. I miss her _a lot._ "

Piper looked on with sympathetic eyes. "I don't know how you do it, Blue. You've lost everything, and yet here you are, still pushing."

 _Just barely._ "I don't really know either. I… I guess I just- just keep going so I can see the crumbling of the Institute."

"What do you think you'll do after they're gone?" asked the reporter.

 _What are you supposed to do when you have nothing left keeping you in this world?_ The pre-war relic didn't know exactly what he would do. He had no more connections from his past life in this world anymore. Just a shell of his neighborhood and the city he once called home. Perhaps he'd wander the world after the Institute was gone; see what was left of the world. _You have nothing left here. Nothing to live here for except for the end of the Institute. You have nothing now, and you'll surely have nothing then._

 _Perhaps I'll go home,_ he thought, but didn't say it out loud. "I dunno. Probably rebuild Sanctuary or something, settle down." _There's no real purpose in it, though. Maybe I'll find something I can live for between now and whenever the Institute is gone._

"Well, no matter what happens, you've always got me and everyone else, right at your side," Piper said, gently rubbing her companion's shoulder.

"Thank you," said the former soldier. "I should… probably get some rest."

"You do that," she replied with a smile. "Sleep well, Blue."

Jack slowly emerged from the couch and headed for his bed, giving the reporter a smile. _Maybe I've already found what I can live for._


	10. Uritur Infelix Est Natalis

**[=A WEEK AND A HALF AFTER THE DISAPPEARING ACT=]**

Piper rubbed her arms through her red trench coat as she joined her pre-war companion atop the roof of Home Plate. A thick layer of snow covered the roof outside of the old trailer that the two were in. Jack stood inside the trailer, a lit cigarette in hand as he watched the snow fall on the city. While the reporter loved how beautiful the snow could be against the dark and grim atmosphere of the Commonwealth, she'd take the heat over the cold any day of the week. It was no nuclear winter, but it was a bit too cold for Piper's liking.

The ace reporter shivered underneath her leather coat. "How are you _not_ freezing, B-Blue?" Piper asked, her teeth chattering as another shiver went down her spine.

Jack blew a puff of smoke into the cold air. "I am cold, I'm just… sort of used to it. Being frozen for two-hundred and ten years straight will do that to you," he explained. "Plus, this big coat I'm wearing is pretty warm."

"Yeah, lucky you. I've got a damn leather jacket and I'm _still_ cold," she complained, rubbing her hands together in hopes of making more heat.

"You want my coat, Piper?" he asked, his navy-blue coat already half off.

"No, I wouldn't want you to freeze over for a _second time_ , and…" Piper said, trailing off as she found his coat flowing over her frame.

"Don't worry 'bout it, I'll get my riot coat," Jack said, disappearing back into Home Plate and returning with his riot coat, as he had said.

Piper put her arms through the sleeves of the coat and zipped it up. _It's shit like this that made you fall for him in the first place._ A simple, yet generous act was enough to turn that switch on in her brain, and no matter what she tried, she couldn't get that stupid feeling to go away. No matter how many times she listed off the reasons why it was implausible in her head, or however many times she pinpointed the things she disliked about him, it _never went away,_ and it bothered her to no end, like a thorn in her side. _Maybe it's meant to be…_

The reporter shook her head. She _must_ be going crazy to think that! _Well, it sure feels like I am._

"By the way, Blue, how are you feeling?" she asked. "I know it's been a little over a week since you got that concussion, but…"

"I'm feeling alright," he told her. "Still feeling a little spacey, but other than that I feel great."

"Good, I'm glad."

"I can't wait to get the fuck outta Diamond City," he said, bringing the cigarette to his mouth before blowing out another cloud of smoke. "Don't get me wrong, I love the city, but we've been here for far too long."

"I know what you mean. The big city can be a bit too much sometimes," she agreed.

"Though, it's actually really nice," Jack continued, dropping his cigarette and putting it out with his boot. "The snow against Diamond City is super easy on the eyes."

 _Not as much as you are._ "Couldn't agree more. Don't care for the chilling cold though," Piper said.

"Man, I remember as a kid, we'd sit in front of the fireplace and watch the snow fall outside. New York was always the best place for snow," Jack explained, a smile forming.

"Whoa, you lived in New York? Isn't it beyond repair nowadays?" Piper asked out of curiosity.

"Lived there for a good ten or eleven years. Moved back here to Massachusetts when I was seventeen," he said. "I'd love to go back some day… well, you know, if it wasn't wiped off the face of the Earth."

"Future field trip?" Piper considered. She'd love to go and see another state; while learning more about her companion's past at the same time.

Jack shrugged. "I dunno. It's a possibility. Maybe… after everything finally settles down? Although, I don't know if things will ever settle down…" he said, trailing off. "Anyways, we… should probably head back to Sanctuary. I'd like to spend my birthday at home-"

"Your birthday is today?" the dame exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me?! We have to celebrate!" Grabbing his hand, she led him down through Home Plate.

"Piper, I don't want—"

"Nonsense, Blue," she said, stopping before the door. "You're, what—"

"Two-hundred forty-one," he interjected with an almost annoyed voice.

"Two-hundred forty-one years old! Gotta make the most of it. Now, come on, let's go to the Dugout and celebrate!" she continued, dragging him through the city.

"Piper!" he nearly shouted, startling her enough to make her drop his hand. "Listen… I appreciate that you want to celebrate my birthday, but one, I'm in no mood to get drunk and two, I… don't exactly _enjoy_ celebrating my damn birthday."

The reporter's shoulders sunk in disappointment. _You're no fun. But I'll make sure you have fun, anyways._ "Dammit, Blue, I wasn't gonna get you hammered, jeez," she said, shaking her head. "Well, what do _you_ want to do?"

"I'd _like_ to go home and enjoy a comic book, some Nuka-Cola and a sweet roll," Jack explained.

"Yeah, sure, alright. But I know something _better._ "

"And what would that be?" he questioned, crossing his arms.

"Trust me on this, Jack. C'mon!" Piper exclaimed.

"Fine. But if this is any worse than a sweet roll…"

"It's not, I promise," she said as the two found themselves at the Dugout Inn. Passing through the door, the reporter went straight to the Port-A-Diner.

"You think you're going to be able to get that stupid preserved pie?" Jack asked. "Paul Pembroke was here trying to get it when I was investigating Earl Sterling's disappearance. And he had been at it for _hours,_ Piper."

"Don't be such a Negative Nancy, Blue. I'm going to get that damn pie."

"Psh, sure," Jack scoffed. "Can I get that in writing?"

"Oh, you will," Piper replied. "Give me about a day, and I'll have this pie out and an article about it, too!"

The former soldier sat down at the bar, looking over at his companion every now and then. "A hundred caps says she gets that pie out," Vadim spoke up.

"It's a bet," Jack said, shaking hands with the bartender. "Might as well pay up now."

Piper turned around to face the two while the claw in the Port-A-Diner reached down to grab the pie, to no avail. "Yeah, Jack, you might as well pay up. Because I _will_ get the pie."

She turned around, pressing the button on the side once more and watching the claw reach down once more. "Just you watch," she said, briefly turning around. As she returned her attention to the machine, she had to do a double take. She _actually_ got the pie!

"Good luck with—"

"I got it!" she shouted, grabbing the pie. "Nat was right; I am the lucky one."

Vadim laughed behind Jack, while his jaw hit the floor. "Time to pay up, Jack!"

He scrambled to count out a hundred caps before approaching Piper. "H-Holy… holy shit."

"Come on, take a bite!" she urged. "It's your birthday."

Grabbing two forks, he handed one to her. "You got the pie out of that machine, and I doubted you. You deserve _at least_ half of it."

Piper didn't hesitate to take one of his forks. "I thought you'd never ask," she said, plunging the fork into the pie and taking a bite, while Jack joined her.

"Man, I haven't had pie in two hundred and ten years. I miss pre-war foods," he said.

"I-I'm speechless," the reporter added. "This has got to be the best thing I've ever had."

Soon enough, the pie was gone. _It's a shame you can't disprove 'have your cake and eat it too.' Or… well, pie._

"I'm absolutely determined to get every damn preserved pie I see from now on," Jack told her, licking his fork. "If you can be that lucky, I sure as hell can be, too."

The reporter laughed, wiping a tear from her eye. "I wouldn't be so cocky, lover boy. I've got the magic touch."

"Yeah, mhm," Jack started. "Sounds fake, but okay."

Piper playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Asshole."

"Hey, _rude._ It's my birthday, after all."

"Oh, yeah? I thought you didn't like celebrating your birthday?" the reporter asked, a sly grin spread across her face as she folded her arms.

"I _don't_. Doesn't mean you can't be nice," Jack told her.

"Who said I was nice?"

"Fair point."

" _Anyways,"_ Piper began, "what else do you want to do? It's your birthday, you've got the right."

Jack sighed. "I… I think I know a place."

"Show me."

 **[=]**

Snow rested on the ground of the abandoned town, Concord. Birds flew about the town, landing on telephone wires and tracking their footsteps in the snow. The dead raider bodies were still scattered about, snow covering them as they decayed away from the day Jack left the vault. Piper had absolutely no clue why he brought her to Concord; he wouldn't tell her why. _You'll see when we get there,_ he had said. Jack, of all people, should know that she doesn't like things being kept from her. She continued to ask until the two stopped in front of the Concord Church. The snow on the ground made the church almost blend into its surroundings with its white, yet chipped and worn paint. Piper followed Jack inside, taking in the rugged exterior.

The vault dweller wiped dust off one of the pews. "Nora and I got married here, a day before my birthday. Two-hundred and thirteen years ago," he explained. "It's nearly blown to hell, but… it feels no different to me than the day her and I got married."

Skeletons littered the old church; lying over the pews, hunched over in corners, and on the floor. Before Piper ever met Jack, she never paid any mind to the remains that were scattered across the wasteland, and never took the time to wonder or even piece together what their stories were (oddly enough, considering it was her job to do that). Yet, now that she has met someone who may have known some of the people that were now skeletons, she was so much more aware of the fact that these bones belonged to _real people._ People with families and jobs. People who lived happily in the Commonwealth. People who never thought Doomsday would come.

It was almost funny, to think that Jack was one of those people; to think that he could have become one of the skeletons that was slumped in a corner.

The reporter sighed. She was still wearing his goddamn jacket. _You like him._ The words didn't quite settle right with her, but she was done fighting it.

She shook her head, emptying it of her thoughts. This was Jack's day, not hers.

"Piper? You in there?" Jack said, waving a hand in front of her face.

"What?" she replied, blinking. "Y-Yeah, I'm here. Just kinda… spaced out."

Jack nodded before turning away towards the podium. Pushing over the skeleton that was leaning against it, he picked up the half-burned book and flipped through its pages. "Every Sunday Nora and I would come down here. I was never the religious one, but she was. I didn't care much about going to church every Sunday, but she did. So, I went with her to make her happy. I… actually learned some things too," he said, stopping on one page in the book. "There it is. Romans 12:21. 'Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.' Her favorite scripture."

He closed the nearly ruined book and stuffed it in his book, leaving the podium. "Probably was her favorite because the scripture's numbers are my birthdate. Twelve twenty-one."

"Maybe you should take that quote to heart, Blue," Piper told him.

"What?" he asked, stopping before her.

"You said you thought you weren't a good person, right? Just… just think about that quote. I doubt there's any 'evil' bone in your body, since you've done so much good."

He shook his head. "Don't start."

"What? You know I'm right."

Jack chuckled. "Yeah, maybe so, but I'm a stubborn, self-destructive asshole. I'll be eons before I believe that," he said, sitting down at the large piano that was leaning against the right wall.

"Is… that a piano?" Piper asked.

"Still in decent condition," he said, playing a few notes.

"And I assume you're good at playing the piano? You're great at playing that ukulele and you're a good singer," she said, leaning up against the wall next to the instrument. "What else are you good at, then?"

"You'd be right. I can draw, too," he answered. "I wouldn't say I'm amazing at it, but I'm alright at drawing."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you could do nearly anything."

He scoffed, slamming his hand down onto the piano keys to create a garble of notes. "I can name a few for you right now that I cannot do."

"Go for it," Piper urged him.

"I can't paint to save my life. I'm horrible at calming myself down, and I'm not the best socializer either," he said, listing things off. "I can't write as well as you do."

"Oh, I bet you're great at it, Blue."

"Piper," he said, looking her directly in the eyes. With a chuckle, he continued, "trust me. I was _not_ built to write."

"Alright, fine. I'm not going to fight you on it."

"Thank you," he said. "Let's see… I'm not great at explaining things. Not good at expressing the shit that I'm going through—"

"Wait, what?"

This time, Jack slammed his entire fist down onto the piano keys. "Don't worry about it, alright?" he said as he began playing some sort of song.

 _I'm surprised he didn't break the damn thing._ "What was that last part about, Blue? You okay?"

"Yeah- yeah, I'm fine," he said, continuing to play the piano.

 _Something isn't right._ "Yeah, okay. Sure," she said, not buying it. Piper was a reporter, for God sakes. She knew when someone was lying. "Blue, if you need to get something off your chest—"

Almost right on cue, Piper was interrupted by loud groans and banging coming from the church's door.

Feral ghouls.

"Shit," Jack said as he got up from his seat in front of the piano, grabbing his rifle. "This is just great."

Piper equipped her 10mm pistol. "So much for a happy birthday, right, Blue?"


	11. Fake You Out

Perhaps going to the old church was not one of Jack's best ideas. It was _oh so_ ironic that his birthday happened to fall on a Sunday this year, too.

The feral ghouls were absolutely relentless, showing no sign of retreating any time soon. Piper kicked a ghoul away from the door, firing her 10mm into the crowd, successfully killing a few.

"I left my Fat Man back at home," Jack groaned, firing an entire round of his rifle at the ghouls.

"Yeah, that would have come in _real_ handy, Jack!" Piper exclaimed.

"Well, _somebody_ insisted I celebrated my birthday!" he argued back.

"You were the one who said we should come to this goddamn church!" she continued on.

Their mini-argument distracted them from the task at hand, allowing for a few ghouls to enter the church before the two finally snapped out of it, Piper standing in front of the door to stop the other ghouls from entering.

 _God-fucking-dammit,_ Jack thought. "Piper, move that bookshelf in the corner in front of the door! I'll stand in front of the door while you move it and take out these ghouls."

Nodding, the reporter dashed to the empty bookshelf, pushing it over while Jack took on the ferals. As soon as the bookshelf was in front of the door, the vault dweller continued his fight with the few ghouls that had broken in.

Jack ducked as the feral swung its arm at him, kicking its legs out from underneath it. He threw his knife at the other ghoul before shooting the one on the ground before him.

"I've still got it… for a two-hundred forty-one-year-old man," he bragged, spinning the knife in his hand.

Piper eyed a feral on the floor behind him. "Blue, watch out!" she exclaimed as the ghoul picked itself up off the ground, lunging at Jack.

A pained growl came from the former soldier as the ghoul's claws shredded through the chest of his coat. Grabbing his pistol that was holstered on his leg, he fired into the feral's head, killing it before it could do any more damage.

His companion rushed to his side. "Goddamn, Jack. You alright?"

"I'll be f-fine, Piper," he attempted to reassure her. "The cuts aren't that deep. Just hurts like absolute hell…"

Piper guided him as he sat down against the side of the piano. "I told you, you should have put the damn armor on with the coat, instead of just the coat."

"I didn't know we were going to be attacked by ferals," he argued. Piper lightly slapped him on the chest, enough to make him grunt in pain. In a pained voice, he said, "M-Maybe I should have put the armor on, t-too."

"That's what I thought," she said, thrusting the needle of a stimpack into his chest. "Now, how the hell are we getting out of here?"

Jack thought for a moment, leaning his head against the piano. _We can't jump out of the holes in the roof, too high… the holes in the walls are too small… Wait._ "I've got my flare gun in my bag. I can shoot a flare up through a hole in the wall or something, and the Minutemen should find their way here," he explained. "Can you grab my bag?"

She nodded, quickly grabbing his bag that was discarded on one of the pews, and handed it to him. He searched through his bag, finally finding the flare gun. Aiming it out of the hole in the wall near him, he fired the flare straight into the sky. _And now, we wait._ "That should do it," he said, dropping the gun on the ground next to him. 

Piper sat down against the wall a few feet away from him, sighing and crossing her arms. "So much for a happy birthday."

 _That's an understatement._ Jack grabbed his pack of cigarettes out of his bag, along with Nora's lighter. Lighting a cigarette, he placed the cancer stick between his lips before flicking the lighter on and off. _Snick._ This time, he messed with the lighter out of spite of Piper.

"Don't burn yourself," she warned. _There it is._

"I don't need to hear it right now, Red," Jack said in reply, but stopped flicking the lighter anyway. Dropping the old flip lighter next to him, he pulled his knees up to his chest despite the pain it caused.

His head was beginning to feel foggy. Perhaps it was from smoking, but he didn't give much a care at the moment. Besides, he knew that wasn't the case at all. Jack put out the current cigarette he had, having quickly gone through it. He reached for his pack that lay discarded next to him to find they were empty.

 _Great. Third box I've gone through since Friday._ A frustrated growl escaped past his lips as he found his last pack in his bag, immediately pulling out another cigarette. "I've gone through like, three packs of these in the matter of three days," he said sourly, lighting it up. "I used to smoke cigars back in the day. You know, when I was actually _more_ mentally stable."

Jack laughed it off while Piper stared at him as if he had four heads. He knew full well that letting things like that slip would cost him, but at this point, he didn't give a flying fuck. He had the entire weight of the world on his shoulders, so what did it matter? It wasn't like anyone would give a shit. As the "savior of the Commonwealth," he was expected to be the strong and silent type (which he never was). He was forced to just bottle it all up like a bottle of whiskey. There was no venting. There was no down time. Just work. It wasn't his _damn_ job to get emotional. And so, here he was, boiling over and coming apart at the seams.

He just laughed it off. It's nothing new.

"What do you mean by that?" Piper questioned with genuine concern. "You've been acting a little strange in the past hour, Blue."

 _I'm dying and I'm trying, but believe me, I'm fine._ "Don't worry about it," he answered, blowing a puff of smoke in her direction. _But I'm lying, I'm_ so _very far from fine._

His bones ached and his head felt even more spacey by the minute. _Quit being cowardly and get it out, killer._ Jack could tell by the look in her eyes that she didn't believe the words that escaped his lips. It didn't surprise him, but he wanted her to believe it.

 _For as much as you hate lies, you sure do lie a lot. You make me sick,_ his intrusive inner voice spoke _._

"Jack, that's a lie and you know it." She grabbed his box to pull out a cigarette of her own, lighting it. "I'm a reporter, it's my _job_ to figure out the truth. You know I'm nosy enough that I'll end up figuring it out sooner or later. If you need to get it out, I'm right here."

 _Damn you._ Tension built up in chest, rising up into his throat in the form of poorly thought out words. He needed to just _let it out,_ no matter how jumbled or disjointed it may be.

"Piper, I'm going to say it upfront. The stress is fucking killing me," Jack began, but not sure how to continue. He stood up and began to pace the floor, grabbing at his neck. "Since I left that damn vault, I've had _problem_ stacked on top of _problem_ to deal with. It's gotten to my damn head, and I have no fucking clue what to do!"

Jack expected her to tell him to calm down. But she didn't. She let him rant on.

"It's not like it's anything new." His hands curled into fists as he spoke. "My head has been fucked since before the bombs dropped. It's just… different now, I guess. My t-thoughts are irrational, it's too much."

He wasn't even sure if what he was saying made sense. But his thoughts didn't make any sense either.

"When the hell did this start, Jack?" his companion asked as she stood up, facing him.

"I don't know! I don't fucking know," he said in response. "My head has been nothing but absolute chaos for some time now. I've been plagued by my fucking intrusive thoughts more so than ever, and I… I just _don't_ want to deal with it anymore!"

 _Leaving this world isn't as scary as it sounds, I hope you know._

He let out a shaky breath. The exhaustion that he had been carrying for so long finally swept over him. "I never wanted any of this, Piper. Look, I just want to go home, okay? I'm sick of _everything._ I'm sick of my mind telling me that I'm not a good person. I'm sick of failing every. Single. Goddamn time."

"Blue, if you're not feeling well… not feeling entirely okay, maybe you should rest?" she told him, standing up to join him. "Some things work out best when you don't try so hard. No matter who you are, bearing too much weight… inevitably leads to the collapse of everything."

Jack turned around to face her, eyes locking with his companion. "Don't you get it? I can't rest! I have people _counting_ on me! I can't stop and take a break."

"Blue—"

"You know what's even worse? It's _me_ they're counting on," he began to rant again, all that pent-up anger finally coming out in the form of hostile and self-destructive words. _Knowing oneself means acknowledging one's actions._ "I have so much blood on my damn hands! They look up to a killer!"

"Jack, we've already gone through this!"

He shook his head, approaching a mirror that was hanging on the wall. "It doesn't matter what the hell you say. Nothing is going to change the fact that I'm a goddamn murderer," Jack replied, turning slightly so he could see Piper. "I've tried, dammit, I've tried to convince myself that I'm _not_ such a bad person. But every time, every _fucking_ time, I come up with another reason that I'm not as great as everyone thinks I am."

"Come on, that's not true."

Jack turned towards the mirror again, grimacing at himself. Endless nights filled with whiskey and a sharp blade could be seen in the form of bags under his hazy blue eyes. He was _so_ goddamn tired. Not just physically, but mentally, too. Since he left the vault, he had to put up with failure after failure. Jack had put so much damn effort into finding his son, and for what? Shaun was the leader of the Institute now. All of his work, for absolutely nothing. Just… failure. All he was now was a pathetic excuse for a general. Just some blood-thirsty merc with a bad attitude, it seemed.

No, it was true. He wasn't worth being held up on a pedestal like he was by the wastelanders. Hell, he never was.

He couldn't look at himself in the mirror anymore. With a swift fist, he easily broke the mirror. "I _hate_ who I am, Piper!" he exclaimed as the shattered glass of what was once a mirror fell to the ground. Tears threatened to spill over as he said, "You deserve a friend who has their fucking head on straight."

He heard his companion's swift footsteps behind him. Piper grabbed his shoulder and turned him around, grabbing the folds of his coat and bringing him so close to her face he thought their noses would touch. Her emerald eyes pierced his own, sending chills down his spine.

Jack could hear the frustration and venom in her voice as she said, "I swear to God, Jackson, you need to have fucking faith in yourself. Nobody gives a shit what you've done, or who you've killed, or… whatever! You're… you're you, Jack!" she exclaimed. Her eyes had begun to water up, and she wiped a stray tear from her face as she continued. "Your past doesn't define you, Jack. What matters is that _you_ are taking a big fucking step towards something _nobody_ else would ever even _dream_ about doing. You are doing what most people wouldn't even think of doing! You are changing this world for the better. And… and I want you to _know_ that."

She let go of her companion, rubbing her eye, while Jack just stood there, staring at her. His words seemed to fail him.

 _Looks like I've got something to think about._

 _Yeah, yeah, save it. She got super close to you, blah blah blah. Once you get attached to someone, you know you're fucked._ Jack just wiped the remainder of the tears from his eyes.

All of a sudden, the sound of shouting followed by gunfire came from outside of the church. Jack could hear the ghouls that were outside of the door groaning in pain, and their tortured screams as they died.

"Sounds like our ride is here," Piper pointed out, her voice still slightly shaky and wobbly.

Jack shook his head, grabbing his bag and weapons as Piper did the same. Preston barged through the door, a relieved smile on his face.

"Oh, thank God. You two are alright," Preston said, resting his laser musket on his shoulder.

"What took you so long?" Jack asked as he slung his bag over his shoulders.

"We were over at Sunshine Tidings Co-Op, taking care of a synth attack," the Minuteman explained. "We saw your flare when we were making rounds, making sure everyone was alright, and we came as quick as we could."

The two thanked Preston, heading outside of the church and stepping over the dead feral ghouls. Within a few moments of the two stepping outside for the first time in what seemed like forever, a vertibird landed in front of the three and the other Minutemen.

"When the hell did you guys get a vertibird?" Piper asked. "Last time I checked, you guys didn't have much fire power."

"The Brotherhood," Preston answered. "After a negotiation, they allowed us to borrow some of their fire power in return for the holotape Jack got while he was in the Institute, as well as our help in the fight against them. Anyways, let's head back to Sanctuary, yeah?"

The two nodded, boarding the aircraft. Jack had had enough of this church for one day.


	12. Wasteland Christmas

The vault dweller stood over his workbench, doing just about anything that wasn't working on some kind of weapon. Instead, Jack decided to think about what had happened just three days ago. It amazed him— how he had broken down right in front of Piper; shouting, crying, speaking nonsense, and she didn't think any less of him. He had gotten so used to people turning away from him before the bombs dropped due to his mental illnesses. Nobody ever wanted to talk about it, and so, nobody ever truly got better. It was nice to see that it had changed since then.

Jack had to thank Piper. Some of that weight had been removed from his shoulders. And he knew just how to thank her. Christmas was tomorrow, and what better way to show his gratitude than with a gift?

He turned to his steamer truck in the opposite corner of the house, searching through all of the power armor modifications and random junk, eventually coming across what he wanted; a 10mm pistol. Jack set the weapon down on his workbench, grabbing different modifications from his steamer truck every few minutes. After twenty minutes of tinkering with the weapon, he decided to add one last finishing touch. Grabbing his combat knife, he etched the words _Free Speech_ into the side. _If she can't practice her right to freedom of speech, then let her pistol do the talking._

Jack rubbed his thumb over the words before running across the street to his pre-war home, resting the firearm on the counter.

He stood there for a moment, the memories of multiple Christmas Eves pictured in his mind. The artificial tree next to the Radiation King television set that had to be anchored to the ceiling every year by strong thread (due to their tree having fallen over in previous years), the mistletoe hanging in every single doorway so that he'd be able to kiss Nora more often, and the damn cookies set out on the counter for a made-up jolly character that never really existed, but they set out the cookies anyway. He remembered the cards from family and friends strewn about the house, either resting on any surface they could put them on or hanging on the decorations that they had put up around the windows and walls. He remembered having to vacuum the damn fake pine needles that fell out of the fake tree every year, but always somehow finding them all over, months after the holiday. He even remembered being _so_ excited for Shaun's first Christmas, and being excited about finally having a _stable_ family life.

Christmas was always such a pleasant time for Jack. A holiday about giving, love, family, and friends. A time where people would set aside their differences and come together to celebrate the fact that they were _alive_ and celebrate the love that seemed to be nonexistent in the world they lived in. And then, afterwards, a new year and new beginning would be ushered in before everyone returned to their normal routine of hating each other.

Jack just chuckled dryly. He didn't have a tree or a wreath to hang on the door, or cookies to put out on the counter.

Just an empty feeling that probably would never fully return. And any of those stupid pine needles. He wouldn't be surprised if they were still around, two-hundred and ten years after the fact.

But he'd be damned if he didn't at least _try_ to bring that feeling back. And, minus those needles.

 **[=]**

Jack was up earlier than normal the next day, setting things up. His pip-boy read _5:12am, December 25_ _th_ _, 2287._ He made sure to leave the bunker home quietly, for Piper was still asleep on the couch. Some settlers were returning to their respective houses after finishing their shifts, while others went to begin their shifts. Preston sat quietly at a cooking station, stirring the contents of the pot that hung over the campfire.

"Oh— good morning, General," the senior officer greeted. "Why are you up so early? The sun is barely up."

"What? It-It's Christmas!" Jack exclaimed. "I'm just setting up some stuff for Piper and I."

"Already? Damn. It seems like you saved us at Concord just yesterday," Preston replied, gingerly resting his spoon against the side of the pot so he could turn his attention to the vault dweller. "Do you have anything else planned?"

The general scratched his head. "I mean, not really," he admitted. "I just made a modified pistol for Piper as a way of saying thanks and I was going to decorate my old house with what I have. But if you want to have a little celebration for the settlers, then I'll gladly help."

"Really? That'd be great!" Garvey beamed. "What do you have in mind?"

Jack grinned. Maybe a wasteland Christmas wouldn't be all too bad. "We could check through the old fallout shelter in my house. We didn't really pack any Christmas stuff, but we'd surely find something in there. Well, if we're lucky, that is…"

"Why do you say that?" Preston questioned, following Jack.

"When I first left the vault, I went into the old shelter to gather some supplies to find that most of the important stuff was looted," he explained, leading the Minuteman to his old home. "Turns out, my brother-in-law snuck in before the bombs dropped while we were making our way to the vault. Grabbed everything he could and fled."

"How'd you know it was him?"

A laugh escaped past his chapped lips. "Kid left a damn note! Don't know what he was thinking; maybe he foresaw the future or some shit."

The two reached the shelter and began searching through every box and shelf, and through every room to find something they could use. Tape, tin cans, random broken-down boxes; all the scrap you could ever need.

"I bet we could put this stuff to good use," Preston stated, stuffing the scrap he scrounged up into a large box.

"Think so?" Jack asked, doing the same with his scrap. "Most of it is just old trash and miscellaneous crap."

"Sure! I mean, not all of it will work, of course. Anything we have left over will just go to building material for here and other settlements."

"Well, let's test that theory," Jack said, packing up and leaving the shelter with Preston in tow.

 **[=]**

"We were _super_ lucky to find those old colored lights in one of the houses," the former soldier called back to Preston as he strung the lights on the walls of his old home.

The entirety of Sanctuary Hills had been decorated with the colored lights and random decorations that Preston, Jack, and some of the other settlers had made with the random scrap. Hell, they even managed to get a few potted plants to represent makeshift Christmas trees in a few of the homes. Despite their limitations, it felt _good_ to have Christmas back, even if it was made from a bunch of tin cans, rope, and tape.

Most of the settlers were awake by now, wandering the settlement to discover that Christmas wasn't just some distant pre-war memory. Of course, it was nowhere near as great as a pre-war celebration, but it was enough to make everyone happy. Jack may have lost the original feeling, but a new one replaced it.

He brought fucking _Christmas_ back to Sanctuary Hills. And damn, it felt good.

Preston rested a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Ha! Look at everyone, they're so damn happy!" He wore the widest smile the vault dweller had ever seen on him as he said, "It wouldn't have been done without you, General. You have done so much for these people, it's… it's incredible! We cannot thank you enough for your generosity."

 _I'm not as great as you make me out to be._ "Thank you, Preston."

The senior officer of the Minutemen embraced the general in a hug. "Seriously, we'd be nowhere without you."

Jack gladly returned the hug. "It-It's an honor." The two pulled away from the hug as he said, "I should see if Piper's up."

"Good, _good!_ Let her join the celebration," Preston replied. "I'll take things from here, Jack."

"Thanks again." Leaving his friend to take care of things, the vault dweller headed towards the end of the cul-de-sac where his bunker home resided. Checking his pip-boy, the time read _7:42am. Hopefully she's up by now._

The metal door creaked as Jack carefully pushed it open. Piper sat on the couch, running a brush through her hair. He couldn't help but lean his head against the doorframe and watch her. She had somehow managed to captivate him in the matter of one month.

 _Come on. Don't deny it._

Jack just shook his head, entering the home. "Morning, Piper."

"Oh, hey!" she greeted as she fixed her cap on her head. "Was wondering where you ran off to."

"Y-Yeah, I got up earlier this morning to, uh, take care of some things."

"You've got me curious," Piper said, stopping in front of him and poking him in the chest.

"If you'll allow me, I can show you." He stepped outside the door, making way for his companion. "Do you know what day it is?"

"Of course, it's Christmas," Piper answered. Her eyes widened. "Did you…?"

"I did."

"You're _shitting_ me," she said in disbelief, a laugh following as she took in the sight of a decorated Sanctuary.

"I'm not! I brought Christmas!" Jack exclaimed. "Look! Preston and I found a bunch of scrap and managed to make some decorations out it. We even found some old colored lights. Just needed to attach a wire to 'em, and now we have fucking _Christmas."_

"Blue, this is amazing!"

"Come on," he urged, grabbing Piper's hand. "I want to show you something."

Jack lead her inside his old home. Lights hung from the walls, various tin cans held candles, and a potted plant stood on the counter as a makeshift tree. Underneath it was the pistol Jack had made for Piper, four sweet rolls, and two green bottles of Nuka-Cola.

He grabbed both bottles of the soda, handing one to Piper. "How the hell did you manage to find _green_ Nuka-Cola bottles?" she asked, opening it and taking a sip.

"You could say I was a collector of the green ones," he explained. After taking a few sips of his own Nuka-Cola, Jack grabbed the 10mm pistol, handing it to Piper. "Merry Christmas, Red."

"Holy shit..." She took the pistol in her hand, admiring the etched words on the side. " _Thank you._ You didn't have to do this, but… thank you."

"It's not a big deal— you're my friend, I wanted to do it," Jack replied. _My best friend, the only damn person who gives a shit about me enough to stay by my side after the worst of me shows._ "And its… sort of a thank you for putting up with me a few days back in Concord."

Piper holstered her new weapon and rested her hand on Jack's shoulder. "Blue, you don't have to thank me for that. You needed someone to listen to, and I gladly listened. Don't worry about it."

Jack embraced his companion in a hug. "Thank you. I mean it."

"Don't mention it," she said as the two pulled away from the hug, smiling.

 **[=]**

Piper silently drummed her hands against her thighs as she listened to Jack play Christmas tunes on his ukulele. Her hand-drumming easily fell in beat with the song. It was a song that she had heard countless of times before. Piper remembered countless nights where her father would quietly sing the song to Nat, in an attempt to make the infant sister fall asleep.

" _Well, baby, I've been here before. I've seen this room and I've walked this floor. I used to live alone before I knew ya. And I've seen your flag on the marble arch, and love is not a victory march, it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah."_

The sun began to set on Sanctuary while the settlers were huddled around a fire in the middle of once was the road, listening to Jack play Christmas tunes from his past. Piper was half listening, half thinking about something completely irrelevant to what she was currently doing. She knew Jack had just gotten through a rough few days mentally and emotionally. But the idea of Nat becoming just like her had sat in the back of her head for _way_ too long and she needed her companion's opinion on her situation. _How the hell am I supposed to word it? "I'm afraid my sister will be like me so I've been neglecting to be around her and am overall being a horrible sister?"_

Piper shook her head. _The right words will come when you talk to him about it,_ she thought in an attempt to suppress her self-doubt. _They always do eventually flow the way you want them to._

She returned to listening, to find that Jack was on the final verse. _"Well, maybe there's a God above, but all I've ever learned from love, was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya. And it's not a cry that you hear at night, it's not somebody who's seen the light, it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah!"_

He continued with the repeated chorus of the song, and eventually finished it. The settlers and other companions that had joined gave him a round of applause, before he thanked them and they all returned to their jobs or went to their respective homes.

"That felt good," Jack said, sitting down on a bench.

"You _did_ good, Blue," Piper replied. "Like, _really_ good." _Could you say anything lamer?_

"I'm glad you think so. It's been an amazing day, and I have you and everyone else to thank for it," he said.

The two fell into a momentary silence, watching the sky blur into a pink and orange blend. The snow on the ground made the sky seem just a bit brighter, making the view even more beautiful.

 _Come on, talk to him. Tell him what's bothering you- he did it._ She took a deep breath before saying, "You know, Jack, I really appreciate that you're _not_ an idiot."

"…Thanks, I guess? Right back at you," he replied, chuckling.

"Oh, no, I didn't mean like…" Piper trailed off, sighing. "I-I just need some help, some advice. I know you've had a rough time in the past few days, but this isn't something I'd bother anyone else with. And you just seem like someone who has the right advice and would know what to do."

"Go for it. You helped me, now I got to return the favor. What's the problem?"

"I… I have an issue. With my sister. Nat. Becoming me."

"What, like… like a synth?" Jack replied with a sarcastic tone.

Piper chuckled. "No, smartass. I'm just absolutely petrified that she's going to take up like her big sis. Think about the life we lead, Jack. No offense intended, but our personal safety isn't really either of our strong suits. I don't want Nat dodging bullets and running from the people she pisses off. It's part of the reason I'm out here with you. Maybe, if I'm not around her, she will start to cool off a bit," Piper paused, sighing. "What do I do, Blue?"

"Wait one second. You're here to get away from Nat."

"Well… t-there's other… reasons," she replied, her face heating up. _Definitely not just because of Nat._ "But, at the moment, all I can really think about is Nat. What do you think I should do? Because I am lost here."

"You… you need to be there for her when you can. You just can't push her away like that," Jack began to explain. "If you do that, she'll turn out even worse. You need to just… love her. Even if she doesn't turn out the way you want her to, she is the one who decides who she is."

"I… I guess you're right. Family is precious. You can't give that up. And… she's her own person, and she is the master of her fate."

"See, now you're getting the idea!"

Piper hugged the vault dweller from the side. "Thank you, Blue. Who would have expected that wandering off with a vault dweller would end up turning out so well? They really don't make 'em like they used to. You're a great friend, you know that, Jack?"

"I try my best. You're a great friend, too," he replied. "Well, I think I'm going to hit the hay a bit early tonight. I'll see ya around tomorrow."

"Night, Blue," she said, watching him walk off deeper into the cul-de-sac.

 _You like him._ She wished she could deny the fact that the words were becoming more and more comfortable each day.


	13. Worry

" _Worry, worry, worry, love is passing me by."_

Piper watched Jack from afar as he worked on his suit of power armor, singing along with the song on Diamond City Radio. It was a song she knew all too well, having listened to it way too many times.

" _Worry, worry, worry, I'm so painfully shy. Other guys get all the kisses, why am I the one who misses? Worry, worry, worry, woe is me."_

She couldn't help but smile as Jack continued. He seemed to have been doing much better since his birthday five days prior, and seeing him in a better mental state was extremely relieving. God knows what he would have done if she wasn't there to talk him down. Since the moment Piper met him, she had seen Jack as a fearless person who, in the wake of his entire world falling apart, still managed to live day-to-day and persevered through everything thrown at him better than anyone else. _Just goes to show that he can be suffering but you'd never notice,_ she thought.

" _Baby, baby, baby, I'm a fool about love. Maybe, maybe, maybe, I should go to school about love. When it comes to getting chummy, I'll admit I'm quite a dummy. Worry, worry, worry, woe is me."_

Piper was about to go and compliment him on his singing for what seemed to be the hundredth time (because she couldn't think of anything better) when he unbuttoned his flannel shirt and threw it off to the side, exposing his arms and tank-top underneath. She immediately felt her cheeks burning as she adverted her gaze.

 _Come on, Piper. He's in a damn tank-top. Calm the fuck down._ She pinched the bridge of her nose before walking over to greet him.

" _I found out that I'm the worrying kind, I'll go worrying right along. Life is fine, but with a worrying mind, so many things can go wrong."_

The reporter found herself half singing, half mumbling the song to herself. _"Worry, worry, worry, should I hold her so tight? Worry, worry, worry, am I kissing her right? She said 'Joe, it's you I'll marry.' I'm not Joe, my name is Harry! Worry, worry, worry, woe is me."_

The song faded out into momentary silence before another song came on, and Jack greeted her with a smile. "Oh- hey, Red."

"Hey," she returned, rolling her wrist. "What're you doing? Well, I mean, I know what you're doing, but—"

 _Quit talking before you get your foot lodged in your mouth. Since when have you had trouble speaking around him?_

"Just fixing the armor up," Jack answered. He lightly tapped his wrench against the leg before standing up. "Would you be interested in going to the Glowing Sea?"

 _The what now?_ "Are you crazy, Blue?"

"I never said I wasn't. Besides, Preston has asked me to find a whole small army's worth of equipment and weapons for the Minutemen," he said.

"Do you know how _dangerous_ that is? We could both die!" Piper protested with reasonable concern. _I— We don't need to lose him, let alone the both of us._

"Piper, my dearest, closest friend," he said, "you're looking at the man who went to the Institute and survived. You think I'm stupid enough to let the three of us die?"

" _Three?"_

"We're bringing MacCready with us," Jack said. "We'll be fine, alright? It'll be you, me, and the greatest sharpshooter we know."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. But if he gets our asses killed, don't say I didn't warn you." _I'm only going with you so you don't fucking die._

Jack flashed her another smile before climbing into the portable tank that was his power armor. "That is a _lot_ of metal," Piper said. "I don't suppose you've got a set for me?"

His voice was filtered through his helmet to sound mechanical and slightly muffled. "Of course, I've got a set for you. It's behind the house, next to MacCready's set."

Piper nodded before finding her suit of power armor. The T-60 set donned Minutemen logos, and painted a navy-blue color. She stepped into the suit, nearly losing her footing at first. After taking a few steps, she finally got a handle of walking in the clunky armor— although, it would _definitely_ take some practice.

She joined Jack in front of the house, and a few moments later, MacCready did as well.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Jack asked, rifle at the ready in his metal hands.

"As ready as we could ever be," RJ answered.

"Why are we wearing power armor when we could be wearing radiation suits instead, Blue?"

"Because I'm not going back to Diamond City to buy three suits," he replied. "Now, c'mon. We've got military equipment to find."

 **[=]**

"I swear to God, Blue, we're just in the Glowing Sea so you have something to do that isn't thinking," Piper said, obviously irritated.

"Don't accuse me of things I obviously do," Jack replied. "Either way, we need to find the equipment. The Minutemen aren't going to be able to defeat the Institute with what they have now."

"I thought you guys got stocked up by the Brotherhood?" RJ questioned. "Shouldn't that be enough?"

"They only gave us so much," he answered. "And before either of you say anything, this is necessary to defeating the Institute."

Piper rolled her eyes under her helmet. "Come on, let's just find whatever we need to find and get the hell out of here."

"I second that."

"Alright, fine. The place we're looking for should be around here somewhere—"

Jack's sentence was cut off by the sounds of an angry, growling, irradiated lizard.

"Deathclaw!" MacCready shouted, immediately taking aim and firing.

Piper and Jack swiftly ran for cover, using the rocks as a hiding spot. The glowing deathclaw dodged every bullet that came flying towards it, much to the group's dismay. It stomped over to the two, slamming its foot into the ground, shaking them off balance. A shot rang out and hit the deathclaw in its snout, and Godzilla immediately turned its attention to MacCready.

"Oh, sh— _crap,_ " he said, firing a few more shots at the mutated lizard. Jack jumped out from behind his cover, rifle aimed at the deathclaw's back.

"Jack! What the— what are you _doing?_ " Piper shouted, following him.

Ignoring his companion, the former soldier loaded two rounds of his rifle into the back of the kaiju-like creature. The deathclaw wasn't even phased by it, and picked the power armor clad general up. In an attempt to free himself, Jack shot the deathclaw in the eye, to which it responded by throwing him off to the side. Piper watched in horror as he rolled down a nearby small hill, landing in a large puddle of nuclear waste and irradiated water.

She wouldn't admit it, but Jack sort of deserved it. _And you were the one who said we'd be alright. Karma's a bitch, right?_

"I could use a little help here!" MacCready exclaimed as he began hitting the deathclaw with his rifle as if it were a baseball bat.

 _You're an idiot, RJ._ Piper switched out her 10mm for her hunting rifle. Multiple shots to the beast's belly pulled its attention away from MacCready, buying him some time to rejuvenate. She jumped out of the way just in time as the deathclaw swiped its claws in her direction. Piper groaned in frustration, shooting again.

Next thing she knew, a grenade landed between Piper and the deathclaw. "Red, _look out!_ " she heard Jack cry out.

Piper swiftly jumped back, falling to the ground as the grenade exploded. Her ears rung from the explosion, her vision blurring slightly. The deathclaw howled in pain in response, and fell to the ground after a bullet went straight through its head.

"Piper!" her name was being shouted, by God knows who. Her ears continued to ring, and no matter how many times she blinked, her vision was still screwed up. _"Piper!"_

Finally, her ears stopped ringing. "Are you alright?" she could hear MacCready saying.

"W-What? Y-Yeah, I'm fine," she answered as her vision became clear again. A big suit of power armor that housed Robert Joseph MacCready hovered over her.

The mercenary reached his hand out. "Come on, we gotta get Jack," he told her as he pulled Piper up off the ground.

The two found the former soldier resting on his knee. The armor of his left arm was broken in certain spots, revealing the frame underneath, that had several tears in it.

"You guys alright?" Jack asked as his companions approached him.

"We should be the ones asking you that question," MacCready replied.

"I'm fine. Just a few scratches."

Piper scoffed. "A few? Your left arm is fucked up from that deathclaw, Blue."

"Nothing a bit of repairs can't fix," he replied, standing up with his rifle in hand.

The reporter shook her helmeted head. "You are _so_ unbelievably stubborn, Jackson."

"And that's why we get along so well."

"Shut up."

"Quit bickering, guys. We need to get that equipment," MacCready butted in. "You two bicker like an old married couple."

Piper's face began to burn, and she was lucky she had her helmet on so they couldn't see her blush.

"MacCready is right," Jack said. "Let's go."

 **[=]**

"Hey! Come check this out," MacCready shouted, waving his hand so the other two could see him. They quickly joined his side. "Come look at this abandoned shack. There's a basement in it!"

Piper and Jack followed the mercenary down through the trapdoor. Through the door was an office that lead to the main room; a federal surveillance base filled with tons of technology.

"Well, well," MacCready began, "looks like we stumbled into one of the government's dirty little secrets."

"As if there weren't enough," the former soldier said.

The reporter leaned her hands on the railing, looking down. "How far down does this place go?" she wondered aloud. Suddenly, her fear of heights caught up to her, and she backed away. "You know what, I don't want to know."

"Hey, I found a holotape!" RJ exclaimed, handing it to Jack.

He slid it into his pip-boy, and listened. _"This is government employee number zero-one-one-nine… oh, screw this government bullshit. This is Buzensky. The sirens… they came so fast. Then the alarm. The only ones we could save were those who were on duty. Stevens had left to get something from his car. Stevens… he's gone. We had to close the door before he could even turn around. Protocol said we had to. I could… I could hear him screaming._

" _That was days ago. We're already running out of food. This place was… not stocked as well as they claimed. Goddamn budget cuts. If anyone's listening to this, my name is Jeff Buzensky. Tell my wife, Wilma, that I love her. Goodbye."_

With that, the holotape stopped. "God-fucking-dammit," Jack mumbled.

"You weren't wrong when you said pre-war America was screwed up, Blue," Piper said.

"All they cared about was their damn money," he started. "They never gave a shit about their people. Might have been more humane if they just let all their workers here die in the blast rather than starving to death."

Piper rested her armored hand on his shoulder. "Come on, let's not dwell on it, Blue."

"Yeah. We've got to find the equipment for the Minutemen, right?" MacCready added on.

Jack just shook his head. _What's going on in that brain of yours, dollface?_ Piper found herself thinking.

"Y-You're right. Let's go," he said.

The group climbed down the stairs, looking anywhere and everywhere to find something. Jack stopped dead in his tracks, holding his fist up to tell his companions to stop. "Listen," he whispered. "Synths."

"My servos seem to be malfunctioning," one synth said.

"The area seems to be clear," another synth claimed.

Piper looked over the railing onto the bottom floor below. Four synths patrolled the last floor, their laser weapons at the ready.

"On the count of three, we run down the stairs and attack. Sync?" Jack told the other two.

"Sync," MacCready replied.

"Sink?" the reporter asked in confusion.

" _Sync,"_ Jack said once more. "One… two… three… go!"

The three stormed down the stairs, firing the moment they set foot on the bottom floor.

"Enemy contact," one of the synths spoke, only to get their head shot off seconds later.

The synth leader grabbed a shock baton, rushing towards Jack. One swift armored punch was enough to take down the leader. MacCready and Piper finished off the other two synths with relative ease.

"Coast is clear," RJ said. "Now, let's find what we need, and get the hell out of here. Sync?"

"Sync," Jack replied.

"I still have no clue what that means," Piper added, shrugging in her power armor.

"Military lingo," MacCready told her. "The Gunners acquired it from the U.S Military."

The three continued to search the underground government base, looking for _anything_ that may or may not help the Minutemen out. The reporter was starting to get frustrated. They had come here to the Glowing Sea, fought a goddamn _glowing deathclaw_ and synths, all for nothing! Piper wouldn't be surprised if he _knew_ there'd be nothing here. She had taken notice that they were doing everything that wasn't fighting the Institute or building up more settlements. _I wonder if he's just distracting himself from everything else…_

Whatever. It didn't matter at the moment. They needed to find some military tech and equipment— if there even was any here.

"I swear to God, if there's nothing here—"

"Hey! Come take a look at this, guys!" Jack said, cutting Piper off.

Her and RJ quickly joined him. They found him in front of a large metal door with a terminal next to it. Jack quickly hacked into the terminal and opened the locks on the door. Piper's jaw dropped as they entered the room. It was stocked _full_ with sets of power armor and tons of weapons.

 _How in the hell did those synths_ not _find this?_

"Jackpot!" MacCready exclaimed. "We should grab as much as we can here, y'know, to help out."

The group grabbed everything they could hold; grenades, mines, ammo, small weapons, and combat armor.

"Worth it now, Piper?" Jack jibed, grabbing a few last things before heading out the door.

She followed behind him, RJ in tow. "I mean, yeah, but you almost got _killed!_ "

"I'm fine, Red," he told her. Laughing, he said, "let's get out of here. Hate to irritate you any further."

The reporter only scoffed. "Finally."

 **[=]**

It felt great to get out of that clunky power armor.

MacCready was alright off doing his own thing, while Jack was talking to Preston about getting some Minutemen rounded up to go to the Glowing Sea to retrieve everything else. _Bless their souls, whoever goes. They'll need it._

Piper laid down on the bed inside of her companion's bunker home. She grabbed her pack of cigarettes that rested on the bedside table, and lit up a cigarette. She took a drag, and blew the smoke out into the air above her. Closing her eyes, the reporter felt her nerves calming down after that damned trip to hell. God knows she needed it.

She flicked the ashes into the ashtray on the bedside table as Jack walked in.

"Danse went with a group of Minutemen to the federal surveillance center," he said, sitting down on the stool across from Piper.

"He actually went with them?" she asked in utter disbelief. She didn't think Danse would ever help the Minutemen in any way.

Jack laughed. "He knows the deal between us and the Brotherhood. Helping the Minutemen by retrieving things that will help the fight against the Institute means helping the Brotherhood and their fight against the Institute."

Piper still didn't like the idea of the Brotherhood and Minutemen working together. It just spelled trouble in her book. But if it meant the destruction of the Institute, who was she to complain?

"Throw me your smokes, would ya?" he asked. She tossed them to him, and he thanked her as he caught them in one hand.

She took another drag of her cigarette before she said, "so what the hell is with you doing everything that isn't fighting the Institute?"

Jack wouldn't meet her eyes. "Piper, today was a huge advancement. What are you talking about?"

"Okay, fair. The Minutemen are stronger because of today," Piper said, "but what about everything else? It's… it's like you're distracting yourself from doing anything involving the Institute."

"You would too if your only surviving family member was the director of the Institute."


	14. No Greater Pain

Jack broke his gaze with Piper as his words hit her. He never thought she would catch on to his complete procrastination on his main goal; destroying the Institute. The former soldier had ignored the topic (save a few choice times) for a damn reason.

 _You're an idiot. You forget that figuring things out is her goddamn_ job, _Jack._

Shut up. I know.

 _Well, let's get this over with, then._

"It hurts like _hell,_ Piper," he continued. "And I can't do _much_ about it. So, I _distance_ myself from it."

"Blue, you've got to face it at some point," the ace reporter told him, taking a drag of her cigarette.

 _Hahaha… that's funny. We both know that you'll just keep pushing it away._

"I know, dammit. I know," Jack said, "but I just _can't_ deal with it at the moment."

 _She should be proud! You actually did something that aided the fight against the Institute today. Where is the 'oh, I'm so proud of you, Blue,' huh?_

Shut the hell up. I don't need that.

 _That's funny. You've lived your whole life wanting some kind of satisfaction, some approval for the 'good' things you've done. Ha._

Jack shook off his doubting inside voice. Why was it becoming so damn obvious now?

"He called Nora's death 'collateral damage.' Collateral _fucking_ damage, Piper!" he said, continuing to fume with frustration.

 _Pfft. The way you keep thinking about Piper makes it seem like Nora's death was collateral damage not only to Shaun, but to you, too._

That's a lie.

 _Then act like it, you insolent fool._

"Did you ever think about the fact that Nora's death didn't mean much to him _because_ he never had her as a mother? Never _knew_ her?"

 _She has a point._

"That doesn't make me feel _any_ better!" Jack exclaimed. His voice lowered to nearly a whisper as he said, "I failed as a father. I failed as a husband. There's no greater pain than that."

With that, the former soldier left Piper in thought as he stormed off.

 **[=]**

Jack stepped into the remnants of what was Shaun's old room. A chair and desk had been set up where his son's crib used to stay. He remembered breaking the poor crib after he left the vault, breaking down into tears not too long after in a fit of rage and frustration. The remnants of the light blue crib laid discarded in the corner.

 _How could I have let this happen?_

Tears stung at his eyes, threatening to spill over as Jack grabbed a random large box and shoved the broken pieces into it. He carried the box outside and threw it as hard and as far as he could, not caring if anyone was watching his tantrum or if the pieces inside the box scattered across the ground.

 _Another part of my life, discarded. Maybe it's better that way._

Jack's vision blurred— from tears or infuriation, he didn't know. His knees seemed to buckle underneath him and the next thing he knew, his knees were in the dirt. He leaned back to sit on his legs, balled fists wiping at his eyes. Piper was suddenly by his side (he never heard her coming) and grabbed hold of his wrists.

"Blue, are you alright?" Piper asked.

 _Is she stupid? Look at you!_

"D-Do I look _alright_ to you?" Jack snarled, ripping his wrists out of Piper's grip.

Piper stood up, offering him her hand. "Come on, don't be that way, Jack."

After a moment of considering his options (lay on the ground and pout, or allow Piper to help him) he grabbed his companion's hand. She pulled him up off the ground, wrapping her arm around his shoulders.

The two locked eyes, and he saw his companion smile at him. He couldn't help but smile weakly back. Even in one of his weakest moments, Piper could still manage to make him smile.

 _You're so goddamn smitten._

Jack hated to admit it, but it was true. In the short time that he knew the reporter, he had fallen _hard._ He had fallen for his closest friend— his _best friend._ That spelled disaster in his book. It had happened once before and almost ended in disaster, and he didn't want that this time around.

But by God, he just could not get over her smile. Or any other part of her, for that fact.

"I know it hurts like hell," Piper started, "I really do. But I know for a _fact_ that you will succeed, okay? You're Jack _goddamn_ Schmidt. If anyone can bring down the Institute, it's _you._ "

If only his love for his companion could outweigh his own self-hatred.

"You can say that all you _fucking_ want. But _I_ know for a fact that I'm only destined for failure."

Piper let out an exasperated and slightly over exaggerated sigh as she stomped over in front of him. "God, give me the patience! Jack, what is it going to take for you to realize that you are a goddamn _good_ person?"

"Don't _you_ realize that I have too many damn skeletons hiding in my closet?" Jack retaliated. His voice grew slightly louder as he said, "All this shit that's happened to me? Losing my wife, my son, the goddamn _world?_ It's been _karma,_ Piper. And I have a feeling this world isn't _fucking done_ with me yet. Keeping my damn head up _isn't_ an option anymore!"

"It _would_ be an option if you didn't keep moping around like a goddamn idiot!"

Jack couldn't meet her eyes. Instead, he looked at the ground. All of the feelings he was feeling about her just a few minutes ago had vanished. He was slightly thankful for that, but a part of him just wanted those feelings to return.

Instead, he just shook his head as he said in almost a whisper voice, "and you just proved my point."

The former soldier didn't even look for any signs of regret in Piper's face before storming off for a second time. He didn't know where the hell he was going, but he eventually found himself at the fallout shelter that he built not too long after him and Nora moved in. At least his brother-in-law got the most use out of it as he could. Jack just wished he could have been down there instead of being frozen in a vault for two-hundred years. Perhaps it would have been more humane if he was slaughtered by the nuclear winter after the bombs dropped or by the remnants of civilization.

Jack opened the bulkhead doors and stepped down the stairs into the dimly lit shelter. With a flip of a switch, the entire room lit up. Half of the supplies were gone even after he had left the vault— courtesy of Vincent Ashwood, his brother-in-law.

He hadn't moved the damn letter at all since he first came down here after waking up. God knows why Vinny ever left a letter in the first place; as if he _knew_ Jack would somehow come along two centuries later to find that his shelter was looted by a family member.

The vault dweller grabbed the letter that sat on one of the many shelves, looking down at his brother-in-law's near chicken scratch handwriting. Jack chuckled to himself as he read it over for the thousandth time since he first found it.

"At least you were probably killed _long_ before you figured out what happened to your sister and I," he spoke aloud, as if the spirit of his brother-in-law could hear him. "Dying believing that we were safe in the vault is definitely better than learning the truth."

"Your brother-in-law would have been proud of you making it this far, Jack." Piper's voice echoed through the room and reached his ears.

"What the hell are you doing down here?" Jack hissed in reply, setting the old letter down in its eternal spot.

"Come on, Blue. I _know_ you. Also, I followed you here," she explained, leaning up against the wall.

"Look, I shouldn't have said what I did up there. But everything else? I _meant_ all of that. You're the strongest person I know. If you just _believe_ in yourself, for once in your life, you can get through all this shit. You've already gotten so far."

Jack laughed. He laughed _hard._ " _Strongest person_ you _know?_ That's funny. Real funny. Didn't you just see the little breakdown I had? Or the one I had back in the Concord Church?"

"That means _nothing,_ Jack. What matters is that _you_ are still standing through all the shit thrown at you!"

Maybe she was true, but Jack didn't _want_ to believe it.

Piper continued with, "I completely understand where you're coming from. I've _been_ there."

Jack's eyebrows raised in curiosity. "You have?"

The reporter scoffed. "Try running a newspaper while getting death threats and not-so-constructive criticism. I may come off as a confident person, but after so much builds up, it does a great deal to your self-esteem."

"Yeah, well you're _good_ at what you do," Jack replied. "You shouldn't let that drag you down."

"And _you_ shouldn't let those self-deprecating thoughts of yours get to you. But guess what, Jack? We _both_ do," Piper shot back. "Do you know how many nights I've wasted, rewriting articles for hours on end with tears in my eyes? Way _too_ many. Yet, here I am, still pushing forward.

"Listen… you're _blue_ -tiful, Jack," she ended, trying to add some sort of humor to the situation.

"I'm sad and you're making _puns._ "

Piper chuckled lightly. "Look, my point is… if _I_ can feel like I am _horrible_ at what I do, if I can _hate_ myself like I have in the past and somewhat still do, and _still_ be able to keep going, then you can, too."

All the former soldier could do was look down at his feet. Piper was right, but part of him wouldn't admit it. _Who is she to compare your horrible acts to what she's gone through?_ His inner voice continued to nag at him in the back of his mind.

 _You know damn well that you're too_ far _gone. Let your impulses take over._

Not yet.

"Blue, we both have horrible insecurities that cut deep, alright?" Piper told him. "We can get through those, _together._ "

 _That's all you want, right? Fine. Go for it, Killer._

His companion— _no,_ best friend _(your damn crush and you know it)_ held out her hand to him once more. Jack grabbed it without hesitation, falling into her embrace. Her nimble fingers ran through his matted and snarly hair. In that moment, the former soldier and current general felt at home. Since he left the vault, nowhere seemed to feel cozy enough to be home, but finally, he had found where he was supposed to be.

With his companion. With _Piper._ And it just felt _right._

 **[=]**

Jack's pencil scratched against the paper of his sketch book. He meant to be writing down some sort of notes; maybe it was ways to make the Minutemen stronger, or some kind of poetry, but it wasn't that _at all._ Instead, an unfinished bust drawing of his favorite Diamond City reporter stared back at him. In the corner of the page, twelve words were scribbled down. They read _"You are so special. How did the universe come up with you?"_

 _You're so fucking cringe-y._

He immediately pushed the thought out of his head as he continued his work on the portrait. Shading, proportions, perspective… Jack wanted to make sure that it was perfect, just like the person he was drawing.

Just then, the woman of the hour walked into his pre-war bedroom. "Hey, trouble." Piper leaned up against the door frame, arms crossed. "What're you up to?"

Jack could have sworn she stood the same exact way Nora did the day the bombs fell. "Just… sketching some things," he said, flipping over to the next page. "Why'd you ask?"

"Just curious. You know me," she admitted, her mossy green eyes dropping to the floor as she chuckled. "I was wondering if you were up for a bit of adventuring later?"

A wicked grin grew on Jack's face. "You bet. And I've got the perfect place."

"The last time you had the 'perfect place' we got attacked by ghouls."

"Touché," he returned, "but we'll be heading somewhere… interesting. Consider it my thanks for helping me earlier."

"Alright," Piper agreed. "Show me."


	15. Bittersweet

As the two arrived at Fraternal Post 115, Jack couldn't believe what he was seeing. The building he was supposed to deliver a speech in two-hundred and ten years ago looked so different. Moss and plant life climbed the walls and windows of the fraternity post, as if Mother Nature had finally taken back what was rightfully hers. Cracks spread through the entire building, the vegetation growing between each and every tiny crack. The nuclear blast had given the bricks a faded, aged color. If Jack didn't know any better, he would have thought it was a different building.

"What is this place?" asked Piper. He could see the curiosity on her face.

"This, my dearest friend, is Fraternal Post 115," Jack explained. "I was supposed to give a speech here."

"What it looks like is a great spot for an ambush."

"We'll be fine," Jack reassured her. "If anything happens, you know I've got your back."

"And I begrudgingly have yours," the reporter jibed as she elbowed him lightly in the side.

Piper followed closely behind Jack, her right hand rested on the 10mm pistol her companion had gifted her. As the two stepped carefully inside, Jack noted the large bloody bags hanging from the ceiling. _Mutants._ He held his fist in the air next to his head, telling his companion to stop.

The former soldier lowered himself to one knee, and Piper did the same. "I bet you a bottle of Quantum that there's mutants here," he whispered.

Piper rolled her eyes. "No shit, Sherlock."

Jack chuckled at her response. _Of course she'd say that._ "Well, you know what? Fuck you, Watson. On my signal, we'll run in and take out anything in our way. Sync?"

"I still don't know what the hell that means."

"Go!" he whisper-shouted before rushing into the room. Upon entry, the entire main room was empty. There was plenty of piles of God-knows-what burning throughout the room. Parts of the ceiling had caved in over time. The podium and microphone at the front of the room seemed to be the only thing that was still relatively intact. An American flag was draped over one side, seemingly worn and weathered from the years.

This wasn't the Fraternal Post Jack had known before the war. Not at all.

 _Come on, this is supposed to be a_ good _trip down memory lane. No negativity, please, for once,_ his inner voice told himself.

Piper let up on her guard, seeing that the room was completely clear of any threat. "Looks like you owe me that Nuka-Cola Quantum, Blue," she joked, bumping his hip with her own.

Jack let himself ease up a little at hearing her words. Slinging his rifle over his shoulder, he stepped up behind the podium, brushing off the old flag. He could practically see what could have been a room filled with his former officers, retired soldiers and their families, and other civilians, all there to watch him perform a speech about how "war, war never changes."

It was sort of bittersweet, like nearly everything else in his life, now.

The speech he had written so long ago had somehow stuck around in his head. He recalled the entire thing in his head:

" _In the year 1945, my great-great grandfather, serving in the army, wondered when he'd get to go home to his wife and the son he'd never seen. He got his wish when the US ended World War II by dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The World awaited Armageddon; instead, something miraculous happened. We began to use atomic energy not as a weapon, but as a nearly limitless source of power. People enjoyed luxuries once thought the realm of science fiction. Domestic robots, fusion-powered cars, portable computers. But then, in the 21st century, people awoke from the American dream. Years of consumption lead to shortages of every major resource. The entire world unraveled. Peace became a distant memory. It is now the year 2077. We stand on the brink of total war, and I am afraid. For myself, for my wife, for my infant son - because if my time in the army taught me one thing: it's that war… war never changes."_

 _And now it's gone,_ he thought to himself. _All gone. Just a memory now._

Suddenly, Jack felt a piece of fabric wrap around his shoulders. Piper was in the corner of his vision, wrapping a blue scarf around his neck.

She smiled at him, and he smiled back with an equal amount of brightness. "It's your color."

"Thanks, Red." He hugged her with one arm after adjusting the scarf around his neck. "I love it."

They sat in silence for a few moments; Jack's arm slung over her shoulders, while Piper leaned up against him. As he let go of her, she broke the silence. "I-I didn't get the chance to give it to you on Christmas, or the day following."

"You don't need to give me an explanation, Piper," he told her. "It's probably the best gift you could give me."

 _That, or you know, confessing your damn love to me?_ Jack found himself thinking. He tried to shake the thought from his mind, but it found a hiding spot in the back of his skull.

Looking down, Jack noticed a bottle of Nuka-Cola Quantum and a copy of _Guns & Bullets, _issue three sitting on one of the shelves inside the podium. He swiped the magazine from its spot and carefully stuffed it in his bag before grabbing the bottle of soda.

"How convenient." Jack tossed Piper the drink. "Here."

Piper nearly dropped it, but caught it in time. "Blue, I was joking about the whole bet thing. I don't even like Quantum."

"Really? _You_ don't like Nuka-Cola Quantum? That surprises me. Either way, I insist."

She groaned in return. "Fine, if you insist. Damn you and your generosity."

The moment the reporter stuffed the bottle away in her bag, super mutants came bursting through the door.

"For cryin' out loud," Jack said, grabbing his rifle. "Looks like I'll be needing that soda back, Red."

"Ha ha ha. Very funny, Blue," Piper said sarcastically. "Just shoot them!"

The two immediately took cover behind the podium and the sandbags that had been set up, firing back at the mutants. Jack looked over the side of their cover to find that they were pinned down by a mutant with a machine gun.

"Well, we're screwed," the reporter stated. "Unless you've got a plan."

"Yeah! Of c-course I have a plan," he replied.

"You don't have a plan, do you."

"Nope."

"Thought so."

 _Come on Jack, make an observation that could save your damn life._ Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a small crate filled with grenades up against the wall.

"Piper, take my rifle and provide covering fire," he told her, shoving the rifle in her hands. "I need to get to that crate of grenades."

His companion nodded in response, taking Jack's weapon and firing upon the super mutants. Jack ran out from his cover, diving onto the floor and grabbed a grenade. Just as he was about to pull the pin and throw it, a suicide bomber mutant came running into the building.

Jack safely placed the grenade in his bag before sprinting over to Piper, grabbing her by the collar of her coat. "Come on, we need to get upstairs," he said, pulling her out of the mutant's path. They ran up the nearby stairwell, nearly tripping on each stair in an effort to avoid a fiery death.

"Thanks, Blue." Piper gave a sigh of relief.

Jack smiled at her. "Now we're even. You saved me in that fight at Sanctuary, I saved you here."

"Don't push it," she joked. "I could have let that rocket hit you, you know."

The vault dweller pushed himself up off the floor before he helped Piper up. "But you didn't. C'mon, we've got mutants to kill."

The two took cover behind the wall at the end of the stairs. Jack grabbed the grenade out of his bag, pulled the pin, and threw the explosive into the room. The explosion made his ears ring, but the room was finally clear of super mutants.

It may never be the same building that it was before the bombs dropped, but at least he's returned _some_ kind of glory to it.

And he was okay with that.

The two emerged from their cover. "It's not much," Jack began, "but I feel like I did this place some justice after cleansing it of the mutants."

"Why is this place so special to you, Blue?" Piper asked with genuine curiosity.

Jack's eyes locked with hers. "That speech I was supposed to give?"

"What about it?"

"I was supposed to give it on the day the bombs dropped," he told her.

"Oh."

The vault dweller sat down on a nearby crate. "Yeah. It's just odd, you know? It's kind of a superstitious thing in my head but… I sometimes wonder if the world would have been spared if I was able to give my speech. Like… if we had just made it that far into the day, we would be safe. I know it probably wouldn't have made any difference, but it's something I think about often."

"I get it," Piper said. "I do the same thing with my dad's death. I sometimes wonder if he would've lived if he had missed his night shift. Like you said, it probably wouldn't have made any difference. Mayburn probably would have come after him anyways."

"Thank God. I didn't think anyone would get it," Jack admitted. "But… I guess this world hasn't turned out to be a _total_ bust. Everything may be absolutely fucking horrible, but at least I've got you and the others to help me through it all."

"That's… oddly optimistic of you, Blue. Even after your episode from earlier."

Jack just shrugged. "I'm just trying to be positive for a change."

"It's bittersweet, isn't it?"

His eyes dropped to the floor. "There's really no better word for it."

"Guess not," Piper concluded. "Let's head home."

The former soldier stood up, slinging his weapon over his shoulder. "Yeah, let's go. New Years is in a few days. Maybe we can have a small party or something with the others?"

"I'm down," Piper agreed.

"Awesome."

 **[=]**

Left over Christmas lights hung from the walls of the _House of Tomorrow_. It was the first New Year's Eve that Jack and his companions had spent together. Bottles of alcohol were littered across one of the counters, waiting to be opened. Everyone sat in a circle around Jack's Pip-Boy, watching the time and waiting for it to strike 12:00 midnight. The tunes of Diamond City Radio filled the living room, leaving everyone in high spirits.

"Alright folks!" Travis' confident voice beamed through the radio. "Here's the perfect song for your New Year's Eve. Here is BJ Thomas with _Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head._ Enjoy."

"Yes! I love this song," Jack exclaimed, opening up a bottle of wine.

 _Raindrops keep falling on my head, and just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed, nothing seems to fit. Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling._

"Jack, you love _all_ the songs that Travis plays," MacCready pointed out.

"Touché, Mac," he replied. "But he has a good taste in music."

"Hey, Jacky boy, hand me a bottle a' whiskey, why don't ya?" Cait asked him.

 _But there's one thing I know, the blues they send won't defeat me. It won't be long 'till happiness steps up to greet me._

Jack spun around, bottle of wine in hand. "I would, but you aren't lookin' too good, Cait. You feelin' alright?"

"What? I-I'm fine," she protested, stuttering. "Just get me a damn drink. It's New Year's after all."

"Alright," he agreed, "but don't get yourself hammered."

The Irish fighter stood to meet him. "Thanks," she said, taking the bottle. Suddenly, Cait grabbed his shirt and pulled him slightly closer to whisper something to him. "Listen, I need your help, Jacky boy."

"What is it?" Jack whispered back. "And why are we whispering?"

With her hold still on his shirt, Cait pulled him into one of the back rooms. "Listen, I got myself addicted to chems. And it's gettin' pretty bad."

"I don't think this is the best time to—"

"I _know_ that, but I couldn't keep it hidden from ya any longer," she told him. "There's a vault out by the Glowing Sea. Vault 95. Vault-Tec used it to cleanse drug addicts of their addictions. 'Course, it went horribly wrong, but there's a chamber where they cleansed the residents of their addictions."

"You want me to take you there?" Jack asked.

"That's the plan, Jacky boy. And I'd recommend we do it soon, because I'm not sure how much longer I can take of this," she told him.

"Why don't we go out midday tomorrow?"

"Sounds fine to me," Cait agreed.

"Just… try not to get drunk, alright?" Jack warned her.

"No promises," she said, smiling. "Alright, back to the party."

As the two returned back to the living room, Deacon proposed an idea. "Hey, why don't we play truth or dare?"

"I'm down," Preston agreed.

"Yeah!" Cait and Piper exclaimed simultaneously.

"Sounds like fun," MacCready decided.

"Eh, why the heck not?" Nick said.

Danse crossed his arms, obviously not amused. "Why would you all want to play such a childish game?"

"C'mon, ya tin can," Piper said. "Don't be such a Debbie Downer, huh?"

"I wish you'd refrain from using that nickname," Danse complained.

"Come on, Danse," Nick urged. "Even _I'm_ playing."

"Yeah, play it with us," the former soldier said, trying to convince him. "You got out of your power armor and everything to celebrate with us."

Finally, the tin can man gave in. "Fine. I'll play. But the moment I get a drastic dare, I will not hesitate to stop playing."

"Alright," Deacon announced. "Who wants to go first?"

As the game began, the uplifting song went through its final verse.

 _Raindrops keep falling on my head, but that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red. Crying's not for me, 'cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining. Because I'm free, nothing's worrying me._

"I will!" Piper exclaimed. "Hmm… Jack, truth or dare?"

"Hit me with a dare," he said.

The reporter could barely keep a straight face as she said, "I dare you to kiss RJ."

The entire room erupted into laughter, while MacCready protested. "No _way!"_

"Yeah, I'm with Mac on this one," Jack said. "Have you _seen_ his teeth?"

"That's the point," Piper said, laughing.

"Nah, I'll pass for that one. I'll kiss Preston, if you want me to," he considered.

"Go for it," the reporter told him.

"Can _I_ chicken out on this one?" Preston tried to protest, his entire face burning.

"It won't be that bad," Jack told him. "Just a quick peck."

"Alright, fine," the senior officer finally agreed, standing up to meet the general.

The two leaned in and pressed their lips together for a few seconds before pulling away. The entire room clapped, and the two Minutemen bowed jokingly. Jack gave Preston a high-five before they both sat back down on the floor.

"Okay. Deacon, truth or dare!"

Deacon snickered. "Come on, Jack. You know me."

"Going to take that as a dare then," Jack said. "I dare you to wear Danse's sweaty BOS hood for the rest of the game."

"Gross," Deacon declared. "I'll do it."

Danse just sighed as he handed the hood to Deacon.

With the hood placed securely on his bald head, Deacon picked someone new. "Piper, truth or dare?"

"Truth, Deeks."

"Is it true that you have a crush on our favorite pre-war vault dweller?" Deacon asked.

Piper's face began to burn. She looked down at her hands in her lap to avoid anyone seeing her face. "N-No. Not at all," she told him.

"Are you absolutely sure about that?" Deacon jibed.

"Yes!"

Jack smiled at Deacon, who winked at him. _Maybe she does like you. That answer was_ not _suspicious at all. Definitely not._

The master of disguise laughed. "Okay, I'll stop teasing you. Who's next?"

Piper let out a breath that she didn't even know she was holding onto. "Nick, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Tell us how you met Ellie Perkins," Piper said.

"I met her similarly to how I met you, Piper," Nick began. "Her mother was captured by Triggermen and I found her wandering around outside of Diamond City when she was ten. I took her in and acted as a father figure for her until she was old enough to work for me."

Jack suddenly interrupted the conversation. "Guys, look at the time! There's a minute until midnight." He picked up his Pip-Boy as everyone circled around him, trying to watch the clock on the screen.

"Come on, guys. Let's count down," Mac said.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one… Happy New Year!" everyone shouted. Bottles of alcohol were opened, hugs were given, and friends made out with each other.

Jack joined Piper, watching everyone else celebrate. "2288. Didn't think I'd get this far," he joked.

The reporter elbowed him in the side. "Don't say that, Blue."

"I know, I know," he told her. "I was just joking."

Piper sighed. "You know, I've been thinking about it and… I wanted to thank you. For helping me with Nat, and letting me join you on your adventure. I finally feel… worth it, you know? I went for so long wondering if what I was doing was actually worth all of it. And then you came along and changed that. So thank you. For being my best friend."

 _Come on. Test the waters again._

"Just friends?" Jack said in a flirtatious tone. 

The reporter's face was on fire once more. "Well… yeah. Unless— _oh god—_ unless something… you know… changes," she said, her voice cracking multiple times. "God, did it get hot in here?"

Jack couldn't help but chuckle. God… he had truly fallen for her, hadn't he?

Looking back at everyone celebrating, he couldn't help but feel _happy_ for once in his life. Jack suddenly had an epiphany; maybe this was where he was supposed to be after all. It may not be as cozy or as forgiving as the pre-war world, but he had plenty of people around him to make him feel safe. Perhaps it was time for him to start moving on. He knew that he'd never be completely over his old life. Not a chance in hell. But that wouldn't stop him from starting a new life here, in the Commonwealth. _Nora would be proud of you for wanting to move on. She wouldn't be upset with you for wanting to._

A smile grew on his face as his epiphany finally settled in. Nora may be gone, but never gone from his heart or memory.

And he was okay with that.


	16. The One Where Cait Happens

The reporter typed away at the terminal that her companion had set up for her in his bunker home. Her exhaustion was slowly overpowering her, for she had stayed up early into New Year's morning working on the next article of _Publick Occurrences._ Piper had only recently woken up from a short nap and decided to return to her writing. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't focus on the task at hand. Her mind repeatedly wandered over to Jack. _It's just the exhaustion setting in,_ Piper told herself. _You'll get over it._ Still, she just couldn't _shake_ him from her thoughts.

 _You like him,_ Piper's thoughts constantly nagged. This time, it felt right. _You know, you might even_ love _him._

The idea of her being in _love_ with Jack was something that scared Piper to no end. She had always been content with being alone— just her and Nat. If someone told her she'd end up falling for some vault dweller that was born before the war, she would never believe it. Yet, here she was, doing _exactly_ that. It was inevitable, it seemed. Piper _knew_ the consequences of falling for him. She wasn't a fool, and she wasn't a stranger to heartbreak, either.

Piper knew that if she were to pursue him, she would be opening herself up to _so_ many vulnerabilities. She knew that she'd be giving him her heart, and giving him a chance to destroy it if he chose to do so.

 _Is that a risk you're willing to take?_

As if summoned by fate, Jack stepped into the bunker home and rested a hand on Piper's shoulder. "Hey, Red. What're you up to?"

That damn nickname again. His presence made her heart beat hard against her rib cage. "Just trying to get this article done." Piper pressed a hand to her chest out of fear that he could _hear_ how hard her heart was pounding.

Jack pulled his hand away from Piper's shoulder. "Shit, I-I'm sorry if I distracted you."

 _You're_ constantly _distracting me, Blue._ "It's fine. I haven't gotten much progress anyways."

"Writer's block beating the shit outta you?" Jack asked as he lit up a cigarette.

"Pretty much," she said, running her hand through her jet-black hair. _That, and the fact that I can't get you out of my damn head._

Jack blew a puff of smoke out of his mouth as he said, "Maybe you shouldn't have stayed up all night?"

"Look who's talking." Piper scoffed, turning to face him. She couldn't help but stare into his captivating hazy blue eyes.

Jack chuckled. "I can't argue with that," he admitted. "Cait and I are heading out to Vault 95. Did she tell you about her addiction at all, or is this news to you?"

"She told me."

"Okay," the vault dweller replied. "Vault 95 has something that can help, according to her. She wants me to take her there."

"Good. She definitely needs it," Piper said. "Stay safe, alright?"

"No promises," he said, earning him a light punch in the stomach. "We'll be fine."

Piper gave him a faint smile. "You _better._ See ya, Blue."

As her companion left, Piper turned back to her terminal, but did everything that _wasn't_ writing. She decided to turn on the radio in hopes that it would get her back into the writing groove. The song that came on was easily recognizable as an Ink Spots song by the familiar rift that began with nearly every single one of their songs.

 _If I didn't care more than words can say, if I didn't care would I feel this way? If this isn't love, then why do I thrill? And what makes my head go 'round and 'round while my heart stands still?_

Stretching her fingers, Piper hummed the song to herself and tried to return to her writing. Yet, (damn here overactive mind) she still couldn't seem to focus on finishing this one article. It was a rather important one, in fact. She wanted to get the word out about the steady growth of the Minutemen, and had asked Preston shortly after the New Year's party for an interview. She was only in the early rough drafts, but it was still frustrating her to absolutely _no_ end.

The reporter put her arms up in defeat. "Alright, fine. You've got me," Piper spoke aloud to nobody. She knew that if she didn't take a break, she'd _never_ get this godforsaken article done.

She dropped herself onto the red couch up against the wall, lighting a cigarette and gently placing it between her lips.

 _If I didn't care, would it be the same? Would my ev'ry prayer begin and end with just your name? And would I be sure that this is love beyond compare? Would all this be true if I didn't care for you?_

Piper blew out a puff of smoke before taking another drag of her cancer stick. They seemed to be taking the edge off her anxious nerves, much to her happiness. Yet, it wasn't clearing up her thoughts at all. In fact, it was doing the exact opposite; it was just making her head feel spacey, and her Blue would _not_ leave her thoughts.

" _My" Blue? Goddammit._ She let out a long sigh as the spoken part of the song beamed through the radio.

 _If I didn't care, honey child, more than words can say, if I didn't care baby, would I feel this way? Darlin' if this isn't love, then why do I thrill so much?_

 _And what is it that makes my head go 'round and 'round, while my heart just stands still so much?_

Piper couldn't fight back anymore, and gave in to her thoughts. How did Jack so easily nestle his way into her heart? God, she hated that she loved him. Yet, it felt so _right,_ and so _wonderfully amazing._ Who was she to argue?

 _If I didn't care, would it be the same? Would my ev'ry prayer begin and end with just your name? And would I be sure that this is love beyond compare? Would all this be true if I didn't care for you?_

She _must_ have fallen for Jack the moment he showed Sheffield more kindness than anyone else. Sheffield was homeless in Diamond City for as long as Piper could remember, and just like that, Jack had given him a home and something to drink. Out of all the wonderful things she loved about him, she admired that quality the most. He went out of his own way to help others in ways that Piper couldn't even begin to _imagine_ doing. Jack was doing so much more for the Commonwealth than anyone else was, and it gave her _hope._ Hell, his smile could light up an entire room and could give a whole battalion of Minutemen hope. God knows it did that for Piper.

She recalled the first time Jack had genuinely smiled at her. He had returned to Diamond City, _for her,_ and her only. Piper couldn't understand why on earth he wanted _her_ by his side during his adventures, but his genuine expression convinced her that he _really_ wanted her to keep him company. Jack truly cared that she was doing the mostly lone wolf a favor, and it made the reporter so unbelievably happy. His honest expression made her feel like she was _worth something,_ and gave her life a whole new level of happiness.

Hell, _he_ made her feel like she could do _so much more._ Jack's hazy blue eyes that resembled swirling hurricanes reminded Piper of _why_ she had come to love him. He had given her life more meaning. He allowed her to help more people with not just words, but actions, too. It was his selfless, valiant personality she had fallen for in the first place. And then, she fell for _everything else_ about his personality, too.

 _He is_ definitely _easy on the eyes, too,_ Piper thought. But that, was just a bonus.

Piper was done avoiding it. She fell in love _hard_ for the vault dweller. While it was absolutely amazing, it was _terrifying,_ too. He was her closest friend. Besides Nick, the reporter had never had a _real_ best friend. She wouldn't dare ruin that for Jack. What if he didn't feel the same? If she told him and he didn't reciprocate, how would he react? Would it ruin the friendship they had? And even worse, would he be offended by her confession, since he's still grieving over Nora?

It was those questions that filled the reporter with _so much_ doubt. But God, it was eating her alive.

Once more, her original question popped up in her head. _Is this a risk you're willing to take?_

Piper would be lying if she said she didn't want to take the risk.

 **[=]**

It took Jack and Cait about a day to reach Vault 95. As much as Jack tried to avoid vaults, he couldn't avoid this one. It was his duty as a friend to help Cait. Despite the circumstances of where they were going, he still chose to go anyways.

Jack would rather watch Hell freeze over than watch his friend suffer.

"Listen, I can't thank ya enough for just agreein' to help me out," Cait said. "I'm glad that we're friends, and that I can trust ya with anything. I didn't know how much longer I'd be able to hide my Psycho addiction from ya."

"I'm glad you came to me before it got out of hand," Jack told her. "You know, even if it was at an inconvenient time."

"There's a reason for me stallin' for so long," the Irish woman admitted. "I was real scared you'd hear the truth, and then I'd lose you as a friend. I made a real hell of a mess of it."

Jack shook his head. "Cait, you would never lose me as a friend just because you were suffering. Friends help each other out, yeah?"

A smile spread across Cait's face. "Damn you for bein' so nice to me. I started this, so I suppose I'll have to finish it."

"Did you ever try quitting?" Jack asked.

"Believe me, I tried," she admitted. "I dunno why I'm still takin' that crap, but I can't stop. I can't even go a day without it anymore and I'm fuckin' sick and tired of it. I've even been doin' it behind everyone's backs. Worst of all, it's been makin' me sick. I've been spittin' blood and I just don't feel right inside. Which is why I'm glad you're allowin' me to get this shite outta me system."

"Stupid question, but have you asked any doctors about getting your addiction cured?"

"Usually I do go to them doctors around the wasteland, but I've been usin' the damn stuff for so damn long they can't help me anymore. Vault 95 is my only choice. They've got some kind of clean room," Cait told him.

"Speaking of which," Jack began, "we're here."

The large vault door was opened slightly, and Gunners crowded the entire entrance.

"Damn Gunners," Cait mumbled. "Let's get inside and find that clean room."

The former soldier and Irish fighter took out the Gunners with ease, and stepped inside. The entire vault was filled with Gunners, which soon proved to be difficult. They were outnumbered, and the Gunners would _not_ stop coming.

"I don't think we can hold 'em much longer, Jacky boy," Cait said, firing random shots into the crowd of enemies with her double-barreled shotgun.

"We're going to have to!" Jack exclaimed. "I'm _not_ giving up until we get you the help you need!"

Jack growled as he took his rifle in his hand, holding it like a baseball bat. He swung it at the heads of the four Gunners in front of them, knocking out three while the fourth one ducked out of the way. The last Gunner tripped Jack, forcing him onto the floor. Cait aimed her shotgun at the Gunner, quickly blowing his head off before helping her companion up off the floor.

"Thanks," Jack breathed.

Another Gunner came up behind the former soldier, wielding a sledgehammer. "Duck!" Cait exclaimed as the foe swung his hammer, just barely missing Jack. He swiftly retrieved his knife and shoved it through the back of the Gunner's knee, and Cait finished him off with a quick shot to the chest.

Jack grabbed his knife and nodded at Cait. "Let's go before more get here."

"Good idea," Cait said.

The two quickly fled into the next rooms, finding only a few Gunners and easily taking them out. Eventually, they came across a room with several skeletons, all wearing vault jumpsuits. Barriers were set up throughout the room, and chems littered the floor.

"Look at all these chems!" Cait observed. "Psycho, jet, buffout… It's all here. Why would there be a stash in this vault?"

"That's odd. Do you think these guys—" Jack lightly nudged one of the skeletons on the floor with his foot—"fought over the chems?"

"Probably. Unless… oh. Vault-Tec, those animals! Experimentin' again!"

"They wanted to see what would happen if they threw a bunch of addicts into a closed vault with hidden chems," Jack concluded. "It wouldn't surprise me. Look at what they did with _me._ "

"They fuckin' disgust me," Cait said. "Who in their right mind would think that's okay?"

"The pre-war world had no shortage of horrible people," Jack told her. "Not much has changed, anyway."

The two continued on, eventually reaching the clean room. Stretchers and bodies littered the room. At the opposite side, the door to the machine that would help Cait remained closed.

"This must be it, the Clean Room," she thought aloud. Jack followed her over to the window next to the door, and looked in. Inside was a chair in the middle of the room. Multiple wires were hooked up to it.

 _Let's hope this actually works._

Cait sighed. "The answer to me problems is sittin' in that room, but I dunno if I should go through with it."

"Don't you _want_ to get better?" Jack asked.

"I don't know. My body's tellin' me to get it over with. But what if the Psycho's the only thing keepin' me together? What if this opens me eyes and I don't like what I see?" Cait said, listing off all her doubts. "There were reasons I dulled the pain. Things I didn't want to face. Things I was tryin' to forget. I'd rather be spittin' blood than relivin' the past!"

Jack gripped Cait's shoulders as hard as he could. "We'll face that pain together, alright? We both have our own demons, so we might as well face them together."

Cait lowered her head, pieces of red hair cascading around her face. "You… you've already done so much, but you keep offerin' to do more." She lifted her head to smile at Jack. "Well, who the hell am I to look a gift horse in the mouth? I'm gonna sit in the chair. Whenever you're ready, go ahead and throw the switch."

Jack nodded as he watched Cait enter the room and sit down in the chair. He turned on the terminal before him and clicked on the only option: initiate toxin purge. He immediately stepped into the room in case she needed any help.

The chair locked the Irish woman in place, and the procedure began. Two needles on either side of Cait's neck went to work, and she screamed in pain. As much as Jack _hated_ to see this happen, he knew it meant that she would be free of her addiction and her suffering.

Soon, the chair released Cait. "You good? How are you feeling?" Jack asked.

She put a hand to her forehead. "Strange. I feel _really_ strange. Everythin' feels… different. Everythin' feels… clearer. Colors, smells, sounds. Nothin' is like I remember."

Jack let out a breath that he didn't even realize he was holding. "God, I can't believe that actually worked."

"Me neither," Cait agreed. "The cravin's, the pain… hell, even the rush, they've disappeared. Was I really that far gone?"

"You must have been," Jack told her. "You said the pain's gone?"

"I mean, I wouldn't say I'm at me best, but somethin's changed. The pain has gone from stabbin' to dull. Maybe some of it was all in me head. Doesn't matter. I haven't felt this great in a _long time._ "

"I'm glad you're alright. I was damn worried about you," Jack admitted.

"You know, it seems you're not the only one. I bet ole Tommy back had this in mind all along. Clever bastard kicked me outta the Combat Zone, so I'd clean myself up, and somehow knew you'd be up for the challenge. I guess he saw somethin' in ya that I missed," Cait explained.

"Well, yeah. My charming personality," Jack joked.

Cait laughed. "Somethin' like that. Look, I'm never gonna forget what you did for me today. You stepped up and helped when everyone else cashed out. I know I suck at thank you's, but that's the best you're gonna get out of me."

"No problem, Cait," Jack told her.

"Now, how about we get outta here, and leave this place _far_ behind."

"I couldn't agree with you more. Let's go."

 **[=]**

Cait handed Jack a bottle of whiskey as she sat down next to him the couch. The two retreated to one of the houses in Sanctuary that Cait had holed up in, getting a load off after the trip to Vault 95.

"And you just… keep a bunch of alcohol around this place?" Jack asked.

"'Course I do," Cait told him.

"And you think drinking a bunch of alcohol is good idea after what we just did?"

"Quit worryin', Jacky boy," she said in response. "We deserve this."

Jack popped open the bottle and took a sip. "I guess you're right."

The two shared plenty of conversation over alcohol. "You know, I've been thinkin' about this since we left."

"What's on your mind, Cait?"

"Try to bear with me, alright? It ain't easy for me to say what I want to say, and I want to say it _right,_ " Cait said. "Where do I begin? Did you know I spent three years fightin' in the Combat Zone? Three years of gettin' beat up by bunch of losers and lunatics. After the matches were over, I'd switch me wounds, spit out the blood, and do a couple a' shots to keep me goin'. I fuckin' hated it. I hated the crowds, the other fighters, and I hated myself. I never understood why I put myself through all that garbage. Until now."

"I'm listening," Jack reassured. He took another sip of his whiskey before asking, "What did you realize?"

"I realized that I put myself through all of that because I was alone. And I think deep down… I wanted to die. I wanted one of me opponents to crush the life out of me. The easy way out," Cait admitted, her fist tightening around her own bottle of whiskey.

"Well, you're still here now. That was the past, and you're not alone anymore. You've got a whole settlement full of people who _care,_ " Jack said.

"I realize that now. My life's been nothin' but one huge failure after another. You've heard all me stories and you know the prices I've paid. There were a few times where things got… really bad. I found myself starin' down the barrel of my own shotgun. I don't know why I didn't pull the trigger. I guess I was prayin' that I could find a decent scrap of humanity left in this fucked up world. And then… what you did for me back there… it was like an answer to all those prayers. That's the first time in me life I fully depended on someone else, and they didn't let me down." Cait rubbed her palm against her eye. "Goddammit, I'm makin' a mess of this…"

Jack rubbed his friend's shoulder. "It's alright, Cait. Let it all out."

The Irish woman shook her head. "I-I'll be fine. I-I just need to be gettin' to the point. Listen, the more time we spend together, the more I'm startin' to realize just what you mean to me. And I'm not just talkin' about sharin' a drink or watchin' each other's backs. It's more than that. Before we met, I never let me guard down around anyone. I wouldn't dare. But with you, Jacky boy, I feel like I can let you in and see me for everythin' that I am, for better or for worse. I can't go back to the way things were before we met. I won't. But what I need you to is… look me in the eyes and tell me that you feel somethin' too."

"I consider us _best friends,_ Cait. I really wouldn't have it any other way," Jack told her.

Cait's eyes dropped. "I… I wasn't expecting that as an answer, but it still feels damn good to hear you say that."

The former soldier raised an eyebrow. "What?"

His companion simply sighed before taking a large sip of her whiskey. "Is it not that obvious, Jacky boy? I was hopin' you'd say you liked me as much as I like you."

Jack didn't know how to respond to this. "Cait, I—"

"I know," she interrupted. "I know you got a thing for Piper, and she'd be lucky to have ya. I just thought that maybe… you know, somethin' would've changed."

"I-I'm sorry, Cait, I… I'm sorry if I lead you on or anything," Jack said.

"No, don't blame yourself, Jack," she told him. She took yet another large swig of her drink. "It's my fault for thinkin' there'd be some chance. Can we just forget this ever happened?"

"I don't see why not," Jack said. "Consider it forgotten."

"Thank God," Cait sighed, obviously relieved. "And, you know, I think there's a pretty good chance that she likes ya back."

"Wait, really?" he asked, his eyes lighting up. "Did she tell you anything? Did _you_ say anything to her about me?"

"Nope. I didn't say anythin' about it, and she never said anythin' either," Cait explained. "But the way she looks at ya is convincing enough. You've probably been to oblivious to even notice it."

Jack shrugged. "Probably. I'm unbelievably oblivious to a lot of that stuff, so it wouldn't surprise me."

The two talked for what seemed like hours, chatting about nothing and everything, and eventually getting drunk.

"Man, I coulds juset kuiss you right— _hick_ — n-n-now, J-Jackyyyy boyo," Cait said, slurring and stumbling on her words.

"Welld, fuckt, why docn't nyou?" Jack challenged her, also too drunk to speak clearly.

One thing lead to another, and the next thing Jack knew, he was in a bed with a wicked headache.

He sat up, rubbing his head. "God, what the hell happened? Wait— _where are my clothes?!"_

Jack looked over to his left to find Cait next to him. As the realization came over him, he freaked out.

"FUCK!"

One night stands were never his thing, but alas, here he was.


	17. 17

_Back from my short break! Enjoy, frens._

/\/\/\/\

 _I hate myself._

Jack gripped the fabric and leather of his coat, and clenched his teeth. He wasn't angry at Piper, but angry at himself. He deserved the offensive comment she had shot at him. _You hurt her once more. You're a mess, Jackson,_ the nagging inner voice in his head spat. _You don't deserve her._

 _Wow, something I actually agree with you on._

Jack grabbed the knife from his combat boot. _You're a killer._ He drove the blade into the ground as he stood up and wiped the few remaining droplets of water from his face and looked over at Piper, whose hands were cupped around her face. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Piper mumbled.

"No. No, I deserved that. Hell, if I deserve something, it was that comment. This was my fault!" Jack yelled, his voice cracking due to the pain the shout caused in his throat. Anger overcame him as he continued to rant and shout negative words about himself, his throat burning with pain. His bark could definitely be worse than his bite.

"J-Jack, stop!" Piper exploded, hoping to make him _shut up._ "I may be fucking pissed at you at the moment, but that doesn't mean you have to rant about yourself!"

"I'm a fucking monster and an awful person. We both know that, Piper."

"Stop," Piper growled as she stood up and walked over to him. "Because you're going to make me more pissed at you for beating yourself down than what I really should be angry with you for."

"And why should you care about that? I had a goddamn one-night stand," he spat.

"I care because if we are to fix our broken trust, I need you to pull yourself together!" Piper shouted as she stood up and pushed her finger into Jack's chest with some force.

The small distance between them sent shivers down his spine. "You care that much? Huh."

"Yes, Jack. I care that much. But my trust I had in you is broken, Jackson. And it's going to be really _goddamn hard_ to repair it," Piper told him, furrowing her brows.

 _This is my moment._

Jack grabbed her wrist, signaling her to follow him. "Come on," he said.

"What?" Piper asked, confused.

"Just wait."

Jack pulled the knife out of the wooded floor and sheathed it in his boot as he walked out the door, Piper following closely behind. The two walked out the door of the Dugout into the rain, and Jack lead them to Home Plate.

"I don't see why you brought me here, Blue. What's the point?" Piper asked, only to be shushed by the man in front of her. He continued over to the stairs of the home, and made his way to the ladder that lead to the old camper that sat on top of the house. He climbed up the ladder and held the trapdoor open for the reporter, allowing her to climb up as well.

"Listen," Jack began as he grabbed at his throat where the black paint still resided. "I know you're extremely angry at me for that whole thing with Cait. But I have no excuses. It was a stupid thing to do. Save your breath, I'm an asshole, I know. I am not proud of myself at all. I feel awful about it. I'm _really_ sorry, and if you don't want to be f-friends, I understand."

Piper crossed her arms as she looked down and back up at Jack. "I dunno. Maybe you show me I can trust you, then things will be different. I was really scared I was going to lose you as a friend."

"You aren't going to lose our friendship," Jack said, his voice so quiet it could barely be heard over the sound of the steady rain. "We aren't going to lose _us."_

Without warning, Jack grabbed Piper by her coat, pulling her closer as his lips touched hers, giving her a kiss that was being held back for so long.

 _-POV Change-_

Words. What are words? Because Piper had none of those at her disposal.

She felt as if someone had shocked her with a few volts of energy as he kissed her. _Do something! Say something! Flail about! Anything will do!_ Her brain screamed at her to do something. The only logical thing she could think of doing was to return the kiss, and she did so in spite of her own nagging thoughts.

As soon as Jack pulled away, Piper longed to keep the kiss alive. Jack stuttered on his words, obviously flustered and embarrassed.

"I, uh, sorry," was all Jack could manage to say.

"Mm, shush," Piper mumbled as she grabbed his hands and held them close to her chest as she kissed him, this time. All of the tension of holding her feelings for him had finally been released, and she was extremely relieved. Jack himself seemed to be in shock about her kissing him again, but eventually returned it.

Eventually, the two had to break apart in order to breathe.

"T-That, was… nice," Jack spoke, breathless.

"Y-Yeah," Piper replied, also trying to catch her breath. "G-Guess the secret's o-out."

Jack nodded. Piper wanted to just kiss him one more time, but they needed to talk about what just happened.

"B-Blue," Piper said, looking up at him. "Are you sure you w-want this? I-I'm loud, pushy, and constantly getting in over myself. Do you r-really want this?"

"Is it hard to believe someone could f-fall for you, Piper?" Jack asked, looking into her hazel green eyes.

"Well, n-no," Piper stuttered as she began. "But I don't think you've really seen me at my best, so far."

Jack chuckled. "Piper, after all we've been through, I've already seen you at your worst, and I still believe you are the best."

"Heh. That's a new one," Piper choked out.

"I mean it, Red. Everything I've ever said to you was true. Every piece of advice, every compliment. You're the best damn thing to ever happen to my life in the Commonwealth," he said. "Cait and I? It will never will be a thing. She knows it, I know it, and I hope you know it. And I really hope this doesn't ruin your friendship with her, either."

"Thanks, Blue. It means a lot," she said. "But I am still keeping an eye out on you. Just because we admitted we both felt something, doesn't mean you are completely forgiven."

"I understand, Red. I'll figure out something," he told her.

"You better, Blue," Piper mumbled. "I can't lose my best friend, and yes, I want something more out of this as much as you do. Before we make it official, you need to regain my trust."

"Got it. So are you ready to hit the road?" Jack asked. "I mean; it's raining but…"

"We'll be fine," Piper said, sending him a smile.

"Alright, let's go then," Jack said as he opened up the trapdoor and climbed down the ladder, Piper following him.

/\/\/\/\

The two approached Sanctuary as the rain start

"Should we let them all know that… well, you know, we both feel something?" Jack asked.

Piper looked over at him. _A thing? Goddamn. It feels so foreign. Never thought this would happen._

"Nah, they'll find out on their own," Piper told him. "You know; this feels so weird."

"What does?" Jack asked.

"I dunno. Just us finally _knowing._ I never thought we'd get this far."

Jack chuckled. "Me neither."

"I really had a lot of doubts. That you didn't reciprocate what I felt. That I was some… _replacement,_ " Piper admitted, looking down.

Jack put a finger under her chin, making her look up at him. "You are _not_ a replacement. You never will be. What I feel for you, Piper Wright, is real," Jack told her, looking into her eyes. His stare could tame a deathclaw.

A sigh of relief escaped Piper's lips. "Phew. That's good."

The two hesitantly released hands as they crossed the bridge into Sanctuary.

"Morning, General. Glad to see you got Piper back," one of the settlers said as they walked by.

"Good morning, Carol. How were things while I was gone?" Jack asked.

"Everything is alright. We did get word though, that Tenpines Bluff is having some Mutant trouble. It doesn't have to be done right away, but don't let it get to a bad point," Carol explained.

"Thank you, Carol. I'll get to it when I can," Jack thanked Carol.

"So, I guess you have to leave?" Piper asked in a sad and disappointed tone.

"You heard her, I don't have to get to it right away. I can do it tomorrow or the day after," Jack reassured Piper.

"Good," Piper said as she followed Jack back to the bunker. She watched from the couch as he got rid of the two beds, and brought in one large one. Multiple thoughts rushed to Piper's head as she watched him move the large bed in.

"Heh. Heh… ha," Piper tried to hide her flustered-ness, but to no avail. "D-Did it get a bit warm in here, Blue?"

Jack laughed. "Very funny. No, we aren't sleeping in the same bed. Until I figure out a way to fix that mess, we do not sleep in the same bed, nor is this 'thing' official," he told her.

"O-Okay, sounds reasonable," Piper said.

"I mean it. I can sleep on the couch until we're both comfortable with that," he reassured her.

"Are you sure you want to sleep on the couch?"

"I'll be fine, Piper. Don't you worry, okay?" Jack tried to reassure her.

"If you insist, Blue," Piper replied.

"The couch is really comfortable anyways. Bed is better, though," he told her as he jumped face first onto the bed. Piper laughed at his display.

"You're a dork," she assured, still laughing.

"Yeah, but I'm your dork," Jack said in objection.

"Touché."

Jack stood up and ran out the door, leaving Piper confused. As he walked back in, he carried what looked like that coffee machine he picked up. He placed it down on the bar table across from the couch, connected power to it, and then started brewing a cup of coffee. Or, at least that's what it looked like from where Piper was sitting. Before she knew it, her Blue was sitting next to her with two cups of coffee.

"I assume you enjoyed the coffee I made for you that one day?"

"Hell yeah. It was great," Piper said, happily taking the cup from Jack.

"Glad you like it. It's the only thing from the pre-war world that I can really give you or show you," he admitted. "We had some goddamn good coffee back then."

Piper took a few sips from the coffee and set the cup down on the table beside them. She proceeded to cuddle up next to her Blue, who reached an arm around her. The two sat in silence for a while, enjoying the warmth of each other's bodies.

"Hey, Blue?" Piper asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," she blurted out. Jack shot her a look of confusion.

"What? Why are you thanking me? I've done nothing in the past few days that is worth thanking me for," Jack looked down at her.

Piper looked into his eyes with a look that said, 'are you kidding me?'

"I am thanking you, because you said you were going to fix this. And I appreciate that you would do that," Piper told him. "I know, I'm not the easiest person to agree with, or just the easiest person to be friends with in general. But you, you said you were going to try. And if you're willing to commit to that, then that shows me you really do care. So, thank you," Piper finished.

"Hey, no problem. A-And… I do care. I'd hate to see you walk away from our friendship," Jack admitted.

"I don't plan on it as long as you fix it, Blue."

"That's good," Jack said. "I promise to you, that no matter what happens, I will always put you first before myself."

"You don't have to do that, Jack," Piper told him.

"No. I will fix this, all of this. I promise. For you."

Piper smiled. _Dear god, I hope he does._

/\/\/\/\

 _I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because I had so much fun writing it. I have been waiting to write this for so goddamn long._

 _Edit: Some things were changed, I hope you guys enjoy it._


	18. 18

_Not Today – twenty one pilots is appropriate._

 _Longest chapter yet! Enjoy, and sorry I couldn't get this out earlier._

Jack stood over his weapon workbench, rifle laid over it.

He looked over to where he had carved Piper's name on the stock. The former soldier pulled the knife out of his boot, and continued to carve a heart around her name. Jack felt unexplainable anger overwhelm him as he shoved the knife into the wall. _Killer._ He felt Piper come up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder. Despite knowing that she felt the same way about him, the contact felt weird and foreign. Jack looked over at the hand she had rested on his shoulder, and looked back down.

"We should probably head out to Tenpines Bluff soon," he said, breaking the silence. "We don't need the settlement getting taken over or destroyed."

"That's probably a good idea," Piper agreed, pulling her hand off of his shoulder as he pulled the knife out of the wall, examining it. _A killer. That's all you are._ He sighed as he slipped the knife back into his boot, shutting his eyes as a wave of vertigo hit him from leaning over too fast. "Fuck," he muttered.

"Hey, you okay?" Piper asked, her tone full of worry.

"Y-Yeah, yeah, fine. I'm fine," Jack stuttered, placing a hand on his head. "Vertigo."

"Okay, but if you need anything, just ask," Piper told him.

"Yeah," Jack replied.

Jack looked over as Cait lumbered over, a look of distraught on her face.

"Cait, is everything alright?" Jack inquired as she stopped next to him.

"No, nothin' is right. I keep thinkin' about what happened, and I can't stop," she admitted, her hands shaking. "It's the only thing I can think 'bout. I feel awful like I did before ya helped me kick me addiction."

Jack felt the unexplainable anger wash over him, but tried to push it away. _Goddamn you stress,_ he thought. "Cait, first of all, breathe. Inhale and count to five, hold and count to three, and then exhale and count to four. It helps," he contributed, hoping it would help calm her down. He watched as Cait did what he told her to do.

"Now, look at me," he began. "Keep doing that. Go lay down, and repeat that. When your thoughts are more clear, we'll talk, okay? Piper and I are going to Tenpines Bluff. We can talk when we come back."

"O-Okay," Cait stuttered. "Thank ya."

"No problem. Keep breathing," he encouraged her as she began to walk towards her respective house.

"Since when did you become good with calming people down?" Piper questioned. Jack turned around at the sound of her voice.

"After having so many panic attacks, you learn how to do stuff like that," Jack explained, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. "We should probably head out in a few."

"Whoa, whoa, big guy. How many panic attacks have you even had since the first one you had at my place?" Piper asked, placing a hand on his chest to stop him.

Jack laughed, grabbing Piper's hand, moving it. "Too many to count."

"And you've never told me?" Piper exclaimed with worry.

"I don't want you worrying about every little problem I have, Red," he told her with a forced smile.

"You worry me more when you don't tell me the problem opposed to when you do," Piper objected. "If there is something wrong, I want you to tell me so it doesn't get _worse, okay?"_

"Fine. Can we get going now?" Jack asked her, eager to travel.

Piper nodded. "Let's go," she said, pulling out her pistol.

/\/\/\/\

The two made their way to Tenpines Bluff, and were approached by one of the settlers that lived there.

"H-Hey, the name's James. I-I'm new around here," the settler said, obviously nervous as he shook Jack and Piper's hands.

"I got word that you guys are having some troubles with a group of super mutants nearby?" he asked.

"Y-You would be slightly correct, sir. T-There are raiders there, t-too. The mutants and the raiders have an a-alliance. It's q-quite strained, though, so they might be easy to take out," James explained. "But t-there's a c-catch. My son, William, was t-taken by those scoundrels. They have him h-hostage, and want us to pay them a ransom to get him b-back."

"I see. The Minutemen are glad to help. We'll get him back," Jack assured.

"T-Thank you, sir. You are doing us a great f-favor," James thanked him. "O-Oh! I almost forgot; they're held up in a mining cave nearby. I'll show you where it is on your map."

Jack nodded as he showed him where the cave resided on his pip-boy. "Stay safe, James," Jack said as he walked away, Piper following close behind him.

"You're a good man, you know that, Blue?" Piper complimented him. That small, negative inner voice of his popped back into his head. _Killer,_ it sing-songed.

"I'm no hero," he told her as they continued to hike down the path. "Some would call me a _killer."_

"Where is this coming from?" Piper asked.

"I don't know. I have this nagging voice that keeps telling me that I am," Jack explained as he looked over at her.

"You're probably just stressing yourself out, Jack. You have a lot on your plate right now. You have Cait and her problems, you have a hostage you need to save, and you have to deal with the Institute as well on top of that. Don't let everything get to you, okay? Stop and take a few breaths," Piper said, trying to calm him down.

Jack changed the subject immediately. "But I don't have time to do that right now. We found the cave," he replied, pointing at the cave in the distance.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Piper asked him as she loaded a few rounds into her pistol.

"I'm ready," Jack replied as he stepped into the cave, loading a new clip into his rifle. Jack signaled to Piper to crouch down and keep quiet, and she did so. Treading behind a raider, he quickly stood up and snapped his neck, and dragged the body over to the side. He quietly stalked over behind another raider, and wrapped his arm around the man's mouth, pulling him to the side.

"Where is the hostage?" Jack whisper-shouted.

"I don't now! They ain't told me anything!" the raider blurted out, panicking.

"Tell me," Jack's voice became a mere growl as he pulled out his knife and barred it up against his throat.

"Alright! H-He is across the room! T-There is a sh-shit load of t-traps, so watch o-out. T-The super mutants are a-all in there with the b-boss, and the h-hostage," the raider confessed.

"Thank you," Jack said, slitting his throat with the knife.

"Blue! What are you doing?" Piper whispered.

Jack looked over at her. "Killing him, what do you think I'm doing?"

"We could have used him to our advantage, and have him kill his buddies," Piper explained.

"Too late for that now," Jack told her, dragging the body to a corner. "You heard him. Our objective is across the room." He pulled out his silenced pistol and took out the rest of the raiders. "Let's go."

The two sneaked across the room and into a hallway, being careful and disarming each trap. A raider stood there, guarding the entrance to the main room. Jack quickly shot him in the head, and watched his body fall limp to the ground.

"We know you're here. Come out," Jack heard the raider leader say, his Bostonian accent extremely thick. He could barely understand him. He stepped out from his cover, pistol aimed at his head.

"Hand over the boy, and we no more lives will have to be lost," Jack called out. Piper stood close behind him.

"I want my ransom, kid. Until you hand it over, my gun is trained on this boy's head," the raider pushed the gun against the boy's head. "I want a thousand caps."

"Do you know who I am?" Jack spat, anger burning in his throat. "I am the vault dweller. You should _fear me."_

"There are super mutants all around. If you move, you will be Swiss cheese. Are you going to hand over the ransom or not?" the leader asked, dropping his riot helmet to the floor.

Jack growled. "Fine. I'll pay the ransom," he said, pulling out a bag full of caps. The raider leader pointed to one of the mutants to get the caps from him.

The mutant outstretched his hand to Jack as he lumbered over to him. He was about to hand the caps to him when he pulled the knife out of his boot and stabbed him right in the head, killing him.

"Kill him!" the leader shouted as the mutants all began to attack. Piper ran behind cover, shooting at the mutants and throwing grenades. Jack fought back as well, jumping up on one of the mutants and stabbing it multiple times in the throat and head.

 _KILLER._

As he snapped the neck of the final mutant, he heard the raider clapping behind him. Jack shook out his hands and exhaled heavily as he turned around to face the leader.

"Impressive. You've never gone against the likes of me, though, friend," the raider finished clapping.

" _Don't test me though, just because I'm a vault dweller. It doesn't mean I'm not willing to take you down,"_ Jack spat.

"Test you, eh? How is this for testing?" the man challenged as he shot the boy straight through the head.

Jack felt many emotions course through his veins as the boy slumped over in the chair he was tied to. He put on his bladed knuckles and lunged at the raider without warning, stabbing him repeatedly sinking the blades into his chest. Piper pulled him off of the dead man, trying to calm him down.

"Jack, look at me. Calm down, okay? Everything is alright," she sat him down against the wall and ran her hand through Jack's pompadour hair.

"Not today," he growled, his hands shaking. "I failed, I can't fail, not today, no…"

"James will understand, alright? You tried your best," Piper reassured him.

"No, no, no, NO. It's my fault that boy is DEAD," Jack spat. "I'm a _killer,_ Piper. That is all I am, and all I'll ever be."

Piper grabbed his hand and helped him stand up. "Grab his body. He needs a burial, and I think James will appreciate that," Piper told him. He pulled the bladed knuckles off of his fists and put them in his bag. His hands shook as he walked over to the dead boy's body and looked down at the dead raider boss. He grabbed the riot gear coat and helmet off of him, and then untied the dead boy, slinging him over his shoulder.

"We need to get out of here," he spat as he walked out, his knife in his hand. _You're a fucking killer._

/\/\/\/\

"James, I'm so sorry," Jack said as he fell to his knees before the settler and laid his son's body on the ground. "If there is anything Piper and I can do, we can do it."

"Oh my god, Carter, my son," James sobbed as he knelt down in front of the body.

"The raiders and super mutants are dead, if that means anything to you. We can help you bury him, if you'd allow us," Jack offered.

"Thank you, sir. Thank you for trying, at least. It means a lot to me that you tried… if it was anyone else, they would have kicked you out," he began. "I'll go grab some sh-shovels, and then we can start."

The man ran off and returned with three shovels, handing one to Piper and one to Jack. The three began digging a hole for the small boy. They lowered his body into the grave, and then filled the hole with the dirt. Jack grabbed a piece of wood and shoved it in the ground to mark the grave.

James leaned his shovel against the nearby tree. "Thank you. I only have a hundred caps, so take it for your efforts," he said, extending his hands full of caps.

"No, we couldn't save your son. You keep it and put it to good use," Jack replied, pushing his hand away.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, James. Take care," he said as he turned around, and started walking towards Sanctuary.

 _-Later-_

Jack stood once again at his workbench, modifying the riot gear he had took from the raider's dead body. He held it up, looking at the armor he had added to it, and then laid it back down on the bench. _How could I not save that boy? I should have been able to. Heh. I couldn't even save my own son, what made me think I could save him?_ Jack thought to himself. _Maybe I am a killer, after all._

His thoughts were distracted by Cait tapping him on the shoulder. "Hey, can we talk? We ain't gettin' anywhere by just standin' here."

"Uh, yeah, sure. You don't mind Piper being here, do you?" Jack asked, pointing over to Piper, who waved.

"Nah, I don't mind. Actually, she should probably hear this," she told him.

"Uh-alright. Piper, do you want come here?"

Piper nodded as she walked over and leaned her chin on his shoulder from behind.

"Listen, I thought long and hard 'bout all of this. A-And I'm really sorry. I tried to be mature 'bout this little crush I have for ya, Jacky boy, but it keeps comin' back to bite me in the arse. I know I can't have ya, and I dunno what to do," Cait explained.

"You need to learn to _let go, Cait._ Get over it. You're doing pretty good so far getting over your past, so why can't you do that with this? I got over the death of my wife. If I can do that, you can do it," Jack tried to help.

"Cait, we are all friends here. I don't want all of this stupid drama to ruin our friendship," Piper contributed. "If you can try to let it go, then we can put this all behind us, okay? I promise, Jack promises."

"O-Okay, I'll try. But it won't be easy," Cait added.

"We know it won't," Jack began. "We'll get over this together, as friends, alright?"

The three embraced in a group hug. Once they all broke up, Cait thanked them and went off on her own business. Piper went up to Jack and kissed him, her hands holding his face to further deepen the kiss. Jack could smell the ink on her as they both pulled away.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" Jack inquired, his voice small and quiet.

"Yes, it does. You fixed it," she replied.

"I couldn't have done it without you, Red," he said, smiling. The smile slowly faded away. "There's still a problem."

"And what would that be?" she asked, confused.

"I let that raider kill that boy," he said, looking down. "He is dead because of my actions."

"What happened to the whole, 'you need to let go' speech?"

"It was my duty to keep him alive, Piper. I failed," he told her. "I am a killer."

"Blue, shush. It's late. You need to rest," she tried to convince him.

"Alright, alright. Maybe you were right. The stress is getting to me again, I need to rest," he told her, lying through his teeth. _I'll rest, for now._

Jack grabbed the riot gear and walked over to his and Piper's bunker home. He had Piper look away as he got into his flannel shirt and casual jeans.

"Hey," Piper began, turning around once he was done. "You sleep on the bed tonight. You deserve it."

"Are you sure, Piper?"

"I am one hundred percent sure. I can sleep on the couch. It isn't a big deal," Piper told him, taking off her hat and placing it on the table.

"Alright. But please, let me know if you want to sleep in the bed, okay?"

"Got it," she said as she laid down on the couch. "Night."

"Night, Red," he called back, laying down in the double bed.

 _-Hours later-_

Jack woke up to what felt like a person lying next to him. He slowly opened his eyes to see the red of Piper's trench coat next to him, and the black of her hair. Jack carefully wrapped his arms around her frame, slowly pulling her closer to him. He didn't want to let go. He fell asleep shortly after with a smile on his face, but only two words stuck in his mind.

 _I'm sorry._


	19. 19

_Hello friends! I apologize for the short hiatus, but I'm going to try to update as frequently as I did before._

 _This story has a playlist now! The playlist is "unlisted" on YouTube, so you can only see it through link._

 _The link: www-youtube-com/playlist?list=PLfMmKQliD1nDlhNJ-4Eqf76QrmLAoCXkQ_

 _Replace the first two dashes with dots. (I hope this actually shows up when I upload this.) You can also check my tumblr blog for the link. (cloudsaysthings)_

/\/\/\/\

" _Mornin' Bullseye," her voice rang in his ears as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, leaning his chin on the top of her head._

" _You're so short, and I love it," he teased as she sipped on her coffee._

" _Don't remind me, Jack. I hate being so small," she added. "I have to stand on my toes to kiss you."_

" _You aren't small, Nora, you're fun-sized," Jack replied before chuckling. "I love you."_

 _Nora laughed before replying with a, "I love you too."_

 _Jack pulled his arms away from Nora's waist before brewing himself a cup of coffee and kissing Nora on the forehead. "You look great today, Nora."_

" _You know that doesn't work on me, right?" she asked, laughing._

" _Thought I'd give it a try," he replied as he turned the radio on and sat down on the couch. He quietly sang along to the lyrics of 'Orange Colored Sky,' as Nora sat down next to him._

" _I was hummin' a tune, drinkin' in sunshine, when out of an orange colored view… Flash! Bam! Ali-ca-zam! I gotta look at you!" he sang, making Nora smile._

" _You're a great singer, have I ever told you that?" Nora chirped, nudging Jack._

" _More than a thousand times," Jack replied. "I'm not the best."_

" _You are the best in my book, dear," Nora told him as she kissed him. Jack happily returned the kiss before taking another sip of his coffee. She leaned her head against his shoulder, smiling. Jack turned his attention to his wife sitting next to him. He blinked a few times before realizing Nora wasn't there. Looking down, he gripped the fabric of his clothing. He was in his vault suit, and as he looked up, he stared into the eyes of Kellogg._

" _You…" Jack spat when he saw him._

" _And there he is. The most resilient man in the Commonwealth," Kellogg spoke, raising his pistol to Jack's head, the cold barrel touching the skin of his forehead. He shivered. "I should have killed you when I had the chance."_

 _Bang._

 _/\/\/\/\_

Jack opened his eyes to find that he was still in his bed, arms wrapped tightly around Piper. He carefully slid his arm out from underneath her, and slowly got out of the bed, trying not to wake her. Jack walked over to his dresser and bent down, grabbing Kellogg's pistol out from underneath it. He spun the pistol in his hand. It was just a dream. The metal of this gun was as cold as it was in his dream, and sent eerie shivers down his spine. _He showed you some sympathy. And you still killed him. What did I say? You're a goddamn killer._

" _Go to someone else's head_ ," Jack snarled aloud to himself. _Your own inner voice can't go to someone else's head, you idiot._ He stared at the gun for a moment before sliding the gun back under his dresser. _Why do you do this to yourself?_ Grabbing his bag, he searched through it before finding two holotapes.

 _Anathema._

 _Hi, Honey!_

He loaded in the holotape that Nora had recorded so many years ago into his pip-boy first. He sat down on the couch, listening to her voice. He quickly turned the volume down so he wouldn't wake Piper up. Nora's calm voice filled the air, making the heaviness in Jack's chest even heavier. As he continued to listen, anger filled the space in his chest where anxiety and sorrow used to be. The holotape ended with the feedback noise, and cut out abruptly. He pulled out the holotape, wanting to crush it in his hands. A voice in the back of his head stopped him from doing so. It's all you have left of her. Don't break it.

He lazily dropped the holotape on the floor and grabbed the other one, loading it in. The song began, and he silently sang along to the lyrics.

 _Haven't you taken enough from me?_

 _Won't you torture someone else's sleep?_

 _Won't you go to someone else's dreams?_

 _Won't you go to someone else's head?_

 _Haven't you taken enough from me?_

 _Won't you torture someone else's sleep?_

The song ended with its usual sudden stop. He looked at the time on his pip-boy. 5:33 am. Jack laid his head back against the arm of the couch. He tried to go back to sleep, but to no avail as thoughts kept pouring into his mind. Jack grabbed the picture of Nora off of the shelf next to him, holding onto it tightly with his hand. He ran his thumb over the old picture, wiping the dust from its surface. Looking up, he saw his wife standing before him, nursing a cup of coffee and a rolled up Boston Bugle.

" _Morning, Bullseye,"_ her voice rang in his ears once more, just like they did in his dream. Jack squinted his eyes as he continued to look at her, and for a second, he could swear she was Piper instead of who she was supposed to be. All of a sudden, Nora was sitting on the couch at the end of his feet, staring at him.

" _What, no 'good morning?'_ " the woman who was his wife asked, and he found himself answering without any control.

" _Just admiring how beautiful you look,"_ he told her.

" _Funny,"_ she replied with a chuckle. " _Blue, hey, are you awake?"_

"Hmm…" Jack mumbled as he heard the familiar nickname. _Nora doesn't call me Blue…_

"Hey, sleepyhead, wake up," Piper chirped. Jack rubbed his eyes and had to look at her for a moment. Was that another dream? He looked down at his hands to see he was still clutching the picture of Nora.

Jack groaned as he sat up. "Ugh, do we really have to do things today?"

Piper nodded. "You seem a bit distraught," she noted as Jack picked up the Hi Honey holotape and twirled it in his hand, sorrow painting his face.

There was no use of lying to her. She would find out what was bothering him eventually; she always did. "Nora decided to visit my dreams last night," he explained. "What a rude awakening that was."

"I can only imagine," she added as she sat next him, leaning her head against his shoulder. Piper grabbed his hand, their fingers lacing together. "I know we aren't too far in our relationship, Blue, but I can't lie when I say this; I love you."

The words hit Jack like a sack of rocks. He hadn't heard those three words in a long time. Well, except for in his dream, but that was beside the point. "D-Ditto," he replied. "Sorry. It's so weird to hear that again."

Piper smiled, showing him that she understood. The two leaned in for a slow, passionate kiss, only to be interrupted by the sound of sirens blaring.

"Fuck!" the two exclaimed simultaneously. Piper stood up and grabbed her hat and pistol while Jack pulled on his riot coat and armor.

"We better see what's going on," Jack said as he grabbed his rifle. The two ran out the door, guns ready for whatever was coming. "Follow me."

Jack ran over to the barricades that were put up and slid into cover as Piper joined him.

"Nick, what's going on?" Jack asked Nick, bullets flying over his head.

"Raiders. They're angry about you killing their leader," he explained. Jack aimlessly shot his rifle, hoping to hit something.

"You're gon' pay for what ya did!" one of the raiders shouted, running towards the barricades with a combat knife in hand. Jack stood up and shot the raider in the head just as the raider threw the knife, making its way into his right shoulder as the raider fell to the ground.

Jack's vision went a little blurry as he pulled the knife out of his shoulder and threw it at another raider.

"Scheisse!" he swore in German, grabbing his shoulder and dropping his rifle as he sat back down behind the barricade.

"That's what you get for throwing with your injured shoulder!" MacCready shouted.

"Can it MacCready!" Jack shouted back. He grabbed a stimpack out of his bag and injected it into his shoulder, hoping to dull the pain. Grabbing his pistol, he shot using his left hand and took out most of the raiders.

"Don't you dare move," Jack called out, pointing his gun at the last raider.

"Alright, alright!"

Jack walked over to the lone raider, gun still trained on his head. "What do ya want from me?" the raider asked, panicked.

"I want you to shut up. Who sent you here?" Jack asked, trying to get some information out of him. He poked the raider in the stomach with the pistol.

"I-Uh," the man stuttered for a moment before pulling out a knife and stabbing Jack in the shoulder, turning it to deepen the wound and also in the stomach. Before the raider could deepen the stomach wound, a shot rang out and hit the raider in the head.

"Fucking hell," Jack breathed, trying to catch his breath as he covered his wound with his hand. His vision started to darken as he could barely make out Piper's figure running over to him.

"Blue! Stay with us! Stay with _me_!" Piper tried to keep him awake, but to no avail.

The last thing he saw was the red of Piper's trench coat, and then, black.

/\/\/\/\

Piper paced back and forth near Jack's bed.

"Doll, he'll be alright. He's a tough one," Nick tried to reassure the anxious woman pacing before him.

"Not many people survive a stomach injury, Nick!" Piper exclaimed, continuing to pace the floor.

"The raider didn't open up the wound more like he did with his shoulder. He should be alright."

Piper sat down next to Nick on the couch, head in hands. _Everything you love ends up leaving you. Why do you try?_ Piper cursed at her own pessimistic thoughts. She wasn't going to give up on him. She looked up as MacCready walked in, setting his rifle up against the wall.

"Is he holding up alright?" he asked, motioning over to Jack.

"Doc patched up his wounds. He should be okay," Nick replied. "Although he hasn't woken up yet. This one over here is really worried 'bout him."

"Lighten up, sweetheart! He'll be alright. I've seen him thrown by a deathclaw, and he got up without any trouble and _still_ killed it," MacCready commented, leaning up against the wall.

"Shut it, Robert," Piper spat as she stood up and continued to pace the floor.

"Merc's got a point, doll. I told ya, he's a tough one," Nick added. "From what I've been told, Jack is the only human to survive a hug from Strong."

Piper ignored him. "He should be awake by now."

"For fu- er, for god sakes, woman! Be a bit optimistic for once!" MacCready exclaimed, stopping himself from swearing.

"Dammit MacCready, you're still not swearing? Swearing is good for your health," Piper shot back at him.

"And being pessimistic is bad for your health," MacCready argued, trying to get her to chill out.

"And getting stabbed is bad for your health, too!" Piper demurred, almost shouting at him. Nick stood up and broke the two apart before a physical fight broke out between the two.

"Cut it out you two!" Nick roared, a hand on either's shoulder. "How would you like it if you woke up, injured, to your two friends shouting at each other?"

Piper folded her arms over her chest. "He has a point."

"Guess so," MacCready concurred, taking his hat off momentarily to scratch the top of his head. Piper sat down next to Nick on the couch with a huff.

"Can we all get along now?" Nick asked rhetorically, before lighting his cigarette.

"Jesus, Nick," Piper began. "Do you have to smoke near me?"

"Well, I thought you did smoke?" Nick asked her as he blew out a puff of smoke.

"Yeah. I _did._ I'm trying to quit," she added.

"My bad," Nick replied, pinching the end of the cigarette and throwing it out. Piper pulled out a pack of bubblegum and began chewing on a piece.

"And now I have a bubblegum addiction," she huffed, leaning back on the couch.

/\/\/\/\

"It's been hours," Piper groaned, looking at the time. _4:48 pm._ He had gotten injured earlier that morning. Piper continued to stare at Jack's still body. She was surprised she hadn't balled her eyes out yet, considering that there was a chance that her Blue could die. The thought suddenly hit her harder then it originally did. _Jack could die today._ She couldn't lose him, no, not today. Piper gripped the leather of her coat until her knuckles turned white. The air she breathed became thin as she tried to take a deep breath. Her breathing became shallow and shaky. _Calm down._ But she couldn't. The fear of her Blue dying turned to anxiety. She could feel her hands shaking and shivers running down her spine.

"Hey," Nick called out, shaking Piper's shoulder lightly. "Take a deep breath. It looks like he's waking up."

Piper had got so caught up in her anxiety that she didn't see Jack shift in his bed. She stood up so fast that her vision suddenly became dark, and she had to hold onto the couch before continuing. She walked over to the bed and kneeled down beside it, grabbing Jack's calloused hand as he groaned in pain.

"Hey Blue," Piper greeted him as he opened his eyes and looked over at her.

"Piper," he groaned once more as he tried to move.

"Take it easy, Blue. You need to rest," Piper said, running nimble fingers through his hair. "I'm so glad you're okay."

He laughed. "I ain't goin' nowhere, love."

"We should probably leave," Nick told MacCready.

"Yeah, that's a good idea, Nick," he concurred as he slowly backed out of the door, Nick following.

Piper chuckled as she watched the two leave.

"They were really worried about me, huh?" Jack croaked, his voice going hoarse.

"Y-Yeah, we all were," Piper replied. "We… I, can't stand to lose you."

Jack slowly sat up, grimacing at the pain. "H-Hey, I told you, I'm stayin' right here. I don't plan on dying anytime soon," he said, brushing her hair behind her ear. "C'mere."

Jack patted the bed next to him and Piper happily sat next to him as he wrapped an arm around her. "I love ya, Red. I want you to know that."

Piper felt the heat rush to her face as he said that. "Love you too, Blue," she chirped as she kissed him on the lips and nestled herself into the bend of his arm.


	20. 20

_You get to meet a new OC hue hue hue_

 _I thought it would be nice change to have Piper and Nick be the main focus in this chapter, so I hope you enjoy._

 _I also wanted to take a moment to thank you all for the reviews. I really appreciate the feedback. Take care, friends._

/\/\/\/\

Piper kneeled down next to the dead raider's body, Nick standing behind her.

Jack convinced her to search the corpse of the raider for any clues that would lead them to the person who sent them. She wanted to stay by his side, but this needed to be done before more damage was done. Looking over the man's body, she stared into his cold, blank hazel eyes. Piper gently closed the dead man's eyes, showing a bit of respect. She always believed in showing some respect for the dead. Piper continued to search through his belongings, before finally finding a note sticking out of his bag that laid in his own blood. Pulling it out, she stood up and looked over it.

"Found what we were looking for," Piper confirmed. "A guy by the name of Ezra sent these idiots here. They're holed up in the Super Duper Mart in Lexington."

"We better get this news to Jack," Nick said. Piper nodded in agreement as she folded up the paper and slid it into her pocket. The two trotted over to the bunker home, where they found Jack trying to stand up. Piper quickly rushed over to him, trying to get him to lay back down.

"Come on, we don't need you hurting yourself any further. Please, lay down," Piper urged him.

"There are things that need to be taken care of," he argued, still trying to get up.

"Speaking of things that needed to be taken care of," Nick began, folding his arms. "We found out who sent that raider gang after us. Guy named Ezra taking shelter in Lexington."

"Good. I _need_ to go take care of them," Jack insisted, only to get his mouth covered by Piper's gloved hand.

"Nick, do you mind going with me?" Piper asked him as Jack mumbled incoherent words through her hand.

"Of course," Nick began, turning to Jack. "You, Jack, need to rest if you're ever going to heal up."

"Great! I'll go get ready," Piper said as she uncovered Jack's mouth. "Blue, get some rest." Piper bent over and kissed him on his cheek before walking away. The last thing she saw before she closed the door was Jack falling back into the bed, defeated.

/\/\/\/\

"Oh shoot, my grocery list is in my other notepad," Piper said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice as they approached the Super Duper Mart. She pulled out her pistol, and Nick grabbed his own as they stepped inside the door. They immediately saw bullets flying and both ducked for cover.

"Shit! They must have known we were coming!" Piper whisper-shouted. Nick looked around the corner of the stand he crouched behind, noticing that there were no bullets flying in their direction.

"Uh, Piper," Nick began. "They ain't shooting at us."

"What?" Piper said as she stood up, looking out into the emptiness of the shop with a look of confusion. She could hear yells and screams coming from the other end of the store. Holding her pistol out in front of her, she cautiously walked towards the source of the commotion. She could see bullets flying, and a raider ran towards them screaming. As he approached the two, Piper kneed him in the stomach and watched him fall to the ground.

"What the hell is happening back there?" Nick demanded. The raider looked up at him, fear painted across his face.

"I-It's the Lone Wanderer!" was all the raider could bare to say before standing back up and running out of the store.

"The Lone Wanderer, eh?" Piper smiled as she looked over at Nick.

"Oh no. You are not asking her for an interview," Nick shot her down before Piper could even begin to gush about getting an interview.

"Oh, come on! It would be perfect! 'The Lone Wanderer Visits the Commonwealth!' It would be perfect timing. I could release the one about pre-war life after that," Piper started, jumping with joy. "Oh, I remember reading about her back in 2277! I can't believe I was _eighteen_ back then!"

Nick sighed before covering his face with his hand and shaking his head. "Alright, fine. But don't you dare act this frantic around her."

The two continued forward, killing any threatening raiders. More screams filled the air as they inched closer, and soon enough, they could see the Lone Wanderer, rifle pointed at the head of another raider.

"Speak, Ezra," her voice echoed through the room. Piper and Nick both aimed at Ezra, and were surprised when they saw the Lone Wanderer pull out another weapon and point it at them.

"Hey, whoa there, we're on the same team here," Piper began. "I'm sure you're just as pissed off at Ezra as we are."

"Who are you two?" the Lone Wanderer asked, lowering her second weapon.

Nick spoke first. "I am Nick Valentine, of Valentine's Detective Agency over in Diamond City."

"And I'm Piper Wright. Publick Occurrences, same city. So why are you here?"

"I could ask the same of you," she replied.

"Our little miscreant here decided to send a batch of raiders over to our friend's settlement. Said friend is injured, and we need to put an end to it," Nick explained.

"Hm. And Ezra captured a settler from nearby," the Lone Wanderer explained, placing the barrel of her rifle on the man's forehead. "I need to know where he took the settler."

"T-The settler is out b-back! J-Just let me go!" Ezra cried out. The Lone Wanderer pulled the rifle away from his head, but shot him in the knee before he could get up. The raider limped off, whimpering in pain.

"The name's Albany Fisher, by the way," she informs them before walking away. Piper and Nick follow her. _Maybe, just maybe, I can get her to come with us._

"H-Hey, why don't you tag along with us?" Piper offers, catching up with her.

"And what's in it for me?" Albany stops in her tracks, looking over at Piper.

She bends her fingers back slightly with her other hand. "Our friend; he's a vault dweller as well. I think you might find it worth your while to meet him," Piper tries to convince her.

Albany tucks her blonde hair behind her ear before saying, "Really now? Is he _the_ Vault Dweller? The Sole Survivor?"

Piper nods. "Yeah, he's a lot different from the folks you'd run into out here."

"The kid's been through a lot, I'm sure he'd be able to sympathize with you," Nick added.

"Alright, fine. But I need help getting that settler back to her home," Albany said. "That's the only way you'll get me."

"Sounds fair to me," Nick replied. Albany began to trot behind the store as Piper and Nick followed, finding the settler tied up there.

"Please, help me!" the settler squirmed in their place. Piper untied the girl's legs as Albany untied her wrists.

"Come on, let's get you back home, hun," Albany spoke, her voice calm as she helped the girl stand up. The group marched down to the nearby settlement and handed over the girl.

"Thank you, Miss Fisher! We all really appreciate your efforts," the man exclaimed as he ran up to them and gave the girl a hug.

"Couldn't have done it without the help of these two," Albany admitted, pointing to Piper and Nick.

"Thank you, all of you. Here is a token of my gratitude," the man chirped, handing over a small bag of caps.

"Next stop, Sanctuary Hills," Piper exclaimed as they began to walk back.

/\/\/\/\

"And this is the bunker," Piper informed Albany as they walked through the door. "Hey, Blue."

Piper smiled as she sat down next to Jack as he sat up. "You feeling alright?"

"Yeah, feeling a bit better," he grunted as he reached an arm around Piper's shoulders. "And who is this?"

"Albany Fisher, the Lone Wanderer from the Capital Wasteland. It's an honor to meet you," she greeted, putting her hands behind her back.

"The Lone Wanderer? I've only heard what people have said about you, but I've never read that supposed biography," Jack replied, outstretching his hand before Albany shook it. "What is it like down in D.C?"

"Eh, it's not much different than it is up here. Although you guys do have some pretty awesome accents," Albany explained with a laugh. "So, from what I've heard and read, you're over two hundred years old?"

"Two-hundred and forty, to be exact. Although, I go by thirty-one," he explained.

Piper pulled out her notepad. "Hate to interrupt, but Albany, do you mind if I just write down some of this stuff? I write a newspaper and I'm sure the people would love to hear about this."

"Sure, go ahead. Maybe they'll learn more about me than they did from the biography. They never put in all the details," she explained.

"Really?" Jack asked, a bit of disbelief in his voice. "And you're okay with sharing your story plus some to someone you just met?"

"Yeah, it's fine. Don't worry about it," Albany told him. "So what is it that you know about me already?"

"You were born in a vault," Jack began, only to be cut off by Albany.

"That was a lie," she started to explain. Piper stuck her tongue out a bit before continuing to scribble words down on her notepad. "My mother gave birth to me in the wasteland, and shortly died after due to cardiac arrest. My father took me to Vault 101, and they surprisingly let us in. I was always told that I was born in the vault, live in the vault, and die in the vault. That was all a lie."

"They shoved my family and I into cryopods. We were frozen, and one day, merc named Kellogg came in and… killed my wife, and kidnapped my son," Jack explained, his voice shaking a bit. Piper gripped his hand tightly, letting him know she was there and that everything was alright.

"I got out of the vault back in October. Not pleasant to see that everything you once knew has turned into an irradiated hell. I made it to Diamond City, saved our Synth Detective that I assume you already met, and killed Kellogg," Jack continued to explain. "You've heard of the Institute, right?"

"Yeah, of course. What about them?" Albany inquired.

"Kellogg was with them. They took my Shaun, and listen to this; I came out of the vault sixty years later instead of the ten. Shaun is the leader of the Institute. And now, I have to destroy them," Jack finished.

"Damn… I'm really sorry about that. My father sacrificed himself to save _Project Purity._ You've heard of that, right?" Albany asked him.

"Well, yeah. Deacon mentions it every now and then, and I hear it from some of the people in Diamond City, but yeah."

"My father was the founder of Project Purity. He stopped the Enclave from taking control of it. And now, the Capital Wasteland has constant pure, clean water," Albany finished. "That's pretty much my story."

"Is the project why you came down here?" Piper asked, curious.

"Actually, yes. This is my first trip. I came down here first to just meet everybody, and become accustomed with the Commonwealth," she explained.

"Interesting," Piper chirped as she wrote down more notes into her notepad.

"We'd love to help you with your journey, if you'd allow us," Jack offered. "Give you a place to stay, supplies to get on your feet."

"Really? You would do that?" Albany asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah. Us wanderers gotta help each other out," Jack answered with a smile.

"Thank you so much. I'll find a way to repay you guys. You don't meet this many friendly faces out in the wastes," she explained.

"Don't mention it. Let me show you where you can take refuge in," Jack began, standing up before grimacing in pain.

"Blue! Careful. You're still injured, remember?" Piper sat him back down. "You still need a lot of rest. I can have Nick take her, alright?"

"Are you sure, Piper?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, don't worry about it, Blue," Piper replied. "Come on, Albany. Let's go find Nick."

Piper turned to Jack and kissed him on the cheek before stuffing her notepad in her bag, and walking out the door, Albany following.


	21. 21

_Hello everybody! I wanted to take a quick moment to mention that I have hit 100 followers on Tumblr! If you are reading this fic and are also following me on Tumblr, thank you. I really appreciate it that you have put up with me and my blog._

 _We are celebrating that recent event by holding a Q &A thing. Drop me a question, if you take the time to do so!_

 _If you haven't already, (sorry, shameless self-promotion) my Tumblr blog is "cloudsaysthings." I hope you do take the time to take a look._

 _Song mentioned in this chapter: Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood_

 _Also, warning: implied things towards the end._

 _Enjoy._

/\/\/\/\

Jack slowly stood up from his bed.

Searing pain shot through his shoulder and into his neck as he held onto the wall next to him. He knew he shouldn't have gotten up, but something in the back of his head told him he needed to get up. Jack lumbered over to his bag and rummaged through it, pulling out a stimpack. He injected it in his shoulder, and then proceeded to inject one near his wound in his stomach. He threw his bag onto his bed before stumbling out the door, holding onto his shoulder. It seemed like his shoulder was in more pain than his stomach was.

Jack spotted Nick, Piper, and Albany over at one of the old houses. He could barely hear the three chattering away as he walked past them.

"Blue? What are you doing?" Piper called out as she walked over to him, placing a hand on his chest.

"M-Michael is doing a f-follow-up. Checking my w-wounds," Jack told her, lying through his teeth.

"Okay. Just please be careful. I'm gonna go help Albany get around and then I'll be back at the bunker home, alright?" Piper informed him as she pecked him on the lips before returning back to Nick and Albany. Jack smiled as he watched her walk away. _What the hell did I ever do to deserve someone like her? All I've done is kill people._

A settler approached Jack with something in their hands, holding it out to him.

"Hey, I heard what happened back there. We all chipped in to buy this ripper for you, since we all kind of feel bad that we let that raider stab you," the woman said.

"Thank you," Jack thanked her, gladly taking the weapon. "Don't feel bad. I was the one who let it happen."

The settler trotted away as Jack walked over to his workbench, placing the ripper down. As he began to modify it, he could hear Deacon snickering away behind him. Jack turned his head to see why he was laughing.

"I guess we can call you, 'Jack The Ripper' now," Deacon explained. Jack shook his head and continued to add modifications to the weapon. _Y'know, that's a good nickname._

"Just stick with Bullseye, alright, Deacon?"

"Whatever you say, Boss," Deacon continued to snicker as he walked away. After adding an extended blade and a better grip, Jack held the weapon in front of him. He pressed the button on the handle as the weapon's saw-like blade whirred.

 _This is going to be a fun weapon to use._

As he turned around to return to his bunker home, Michael ran up to him.

"How are you feeling, sir?" the medic asked.

"I'm feeling alright. Still in some pain, though," Jack explained.

"Alright. Keep using your stimpacks, and taking the Med-X, and you should be good in a few days," Michael told him before walking away.

/\/\/\/\

Piper searched through the books Jack had on his bookshelf, waiting for him to come back.

She planned on reading some of the books he had picked up over the few months he had been out of the vault, but at the moment, she was just trying to distract herself from her worrying thoughts. When she saw him, he seemed to be in a lot of pain. She tapped her foot nervously as she continued to search through the books.

Piper squealed quietly to herself as she found her Blue's notebook, the one she found a drawing of herself in. She quickly flipped to the page that contained said drawing. Piper still blushed seeing it again, knowing that he cared about her so much that he had drawn her. She turned the page to see what notes he had written down that other day. To her surprise, there were small doodles of her written on the back of the previous page. A ridiculous grin spread across her face as she looked at all of the drawings. From her sitting on the bed, to her fiddling with the radio.

Piper noticed multiple lyrics scribbled into the page, all declaring his feelings for her. She found herself mumble an, "Aww, Blue," under her breath. As she continued to look at what he had drawn, she heard heavy footsteps approach the door and open it, a loud noise coming from the door. Realizing it was her Blue, she swiftly shut the notebook and tried to put it back on the shelf, failing miserably as the other books fell off the shelf. She tried frantically to catch all of the books before they fell to the ground, to no avail.

She looked up at Jack who had one hand over half of his face, trying hard not to laugh. Piper tried to keep cool as she leaned her hand against the top of the shelf, crossing one foot over the other and placing a hand on her hip.

"H-Hey, Blue!" Piper choked out, her voice suddenly going higher than she wanted. "W-When did y-you get here?"

Jack couldn't help but laugh to himself as he walked over and helped her pick up the fallen books. Once the two finished picking up the books, Jack pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"You're cute," he admitted as they both pulled away. Piper blushed a scarlet red.

"S-Shucks," was all Piper could say. Jack chuckled. "W-What?"

"You're adorable when you're flustered, and _I love it,"_ Jack admitted. "Nora had her shortness, and you have your adorable flustered reactions."

Piper blushed harder as he grabbed her hand and laced his fingers with hers. "Love ya, Red."

"Love you too, Blue," Piper returned the meaningful phrase as the two embraced in a hug. As the two let go of each other, Piper pulled out her notepad.

"I might as well start working on this article," Piper admitted, turning to the terminal and sitting down in front of it. She heard Jack shuffle behind her and lay down in the bed next to the desk. As her fingers clicked against the keys, she could hear her Blue quietly humming a song she had never heard before.

" _All I am, is a man, I want the world, in my hands…"_

/\/\/\/\

Piper found herself having a case of writer's block.

No matter how many times she re-wrote the article, Piper could _not_ word it perfectly to save her life. She slumped around the bunker home, exhausted, trying to figure out how to write the article. _Eughhhh._

"Ughaehh," Piper made random, incoherent noises as she continued to lazily slump around.

"Do you need help with the article, Piper?" Jack asked her.

"Nooooooo," Piper groaned, covering her face with her hands as she fell into the wall. "I need words."

"Damn, I wish there were still dictionaries around," Jack added.

Piper sat down at her terminal, hands in the air. "MAKE SOME DAMN WORDS, YOU FUCKS," she shouted.

Jack laughed silently at her frustration. "Come on, Piper. Let me help you. Please," Jack pleaded.

Piper responded with yet another, "UGHHH."

Jack slowly stood up, grimacing at the pain before lumbering over to her desk. He pulled over a chair from his own desk and sat down next to her, looking at the terminal.

"Here are the notes," Piper said, plopping down her notepad on the desk in front of her Blue. He scanned the notes, and pushed Piper over slightly so he could type. By the time he was done, he had multiple paragraphs typed. Piper looked on in awe as she read what he typed.

"Damn, Blue. You're pretty good at crafting a few paragraphs yourself," she admitted.

"I used to write a few short stories back in my day, especially during the Resource Wars."

"Hey, uh, do you mind drawing a few covers for the paper?" Piper asked as she turned to look at him. "I've seen what you can draw."

"Yeah! Of course-" Jack froze in place. "W-What have you seen other than what I've shown y-you?"

Piper turned as red as her trench coat. _Goddammit._ Piper didn't want to lie. "I-uh," he cut her off before she could even confess.

"D-Did you look at my notebook?" he asked, his face starting to turn red as well. Piper slowly nodded as she fiddled with her hands nervously. She expected him to be furious.

"I-I guess I didn't really need to h-hide it anymore," Jack said. "You're not, like, creeped out?"

"Not at all," Piper replied. "Actually, I think it's kind of cool and cute."

"Really?" Jack asked. Piper nodded.

"You're an amazing artist, Blue. I mean it," she told him.

"I'm glad you think so. I erased so many goddamn lines when I was drawing you," Jack laughed. Piper wrapped an arm around her Blue's neck, pulling him closer. Jack kissed Piper on the cheek before he kissed her on the lips, the kiss filled with love and compassion, and a bit of tongue. Piper reached over and turned on the radio, her lips still locked with her Blue's lips, as _One More Tomorrow_ played.

The two pulled apart, both wanting to continue despite the lack of oxygen. Piper pulled off her coat and wrapped it around the frame of the chair and placed her hat down next to the terminal. She hummed along with the cheesy yet romantic tune as she heard her Blue mumble, "mercy."

No words were shared as Piper looked over the article that her Blue wrote, changing a few things along the way to make it sound more as if she wrote it. Of course, she'd give him some credit.

All of a sudden, she heard someone walk through the door. Piper violently whipped her head towards the door as she looked at the figure who had barged in.

"The Commonwealth is so cool!" Albany shouted, pumping her fists into the air.

/\/\/\/\

Piper watched as Jack sketched a posing Albany.

She was surprised when Albany agreed to pose for a drawing that would be the cover of the next issue of _Publick Occurrences._ She looked over at his progress. So far, everything was perfect. Her frame, the creases in her vault suit, the curls in her hair. He truly was an amazing artist, but Piper couldn't understand why he thought he wasn't. _Maybe it's an artist thing,_ Piper thought. She wasn't much of an artist herself, and didn't know much about how an artist would think.

She looked back over at Albany. She stood with her rifle in hands, glasses on, and foot on a rock they had brought in from outside. Every now and then, they took a short break before starting again. Her Blue would take the time to inject a few stimpacks due to his wounds, take a swig of Nuka-Cola, and perfect a few things in the drawing. Piper admired how careful he was with what he drew. He constantly erased lines and slightly moving it, insisting that it wasn't straight enough, or it was too curved, or it wasn't perfect. Heck, only a few seconds into the drawing, Jack had already erased the small line he had drawn.

She watched as he stood up slowly before approaching Albany, moving her arm slightly before sitting back down, biting at his pencil. He kept getting up every now and then and adjusting how she stood very slightly. Piper felt a hint of jealousy creep up every time he did that. She knew that her Blue loved her, and wouldn't do anything to hurt her, but for some reason it crept up on her. She decided to turn to her terminal to perfect a few things in the article.

After twenty minutes, her Blue declared, "Done!"

She turned around to inspect the final project. It looked amazing, as always. He had already drawn out the rest of the cover as well. Albany had already walked over to take a look.

"That's awesome, Jack. You're pretty good at this," she complimented him.

"Thanks. Although I could probably do much better," her Blue admitted. _There he goes again, beating himself up._

"Blue, I think it's perfect. You did great," Piper said, draping his arms over his shoulders.

"Say what you want, I really think I could have done better."

She laid a kiss on his cheek. "Well either way, thanks for doing that. It might boost the sales," Piper thanked him.

"No problem, Red. Just let me know when I can do the next one," Jack smiled.

"I hate to be intrusive, but are you two like, a thing?" Albany asked with a curious look on her face.

Piper pointed to herself, to Jack, and then back to herself. "Star-crossed," she joked. Her Blue laughed as he nodded.

"Yeah, I guess so," he replied. "You ever been with someone, Albany?"

"Well, there was Butch. We were a short thing for a while, but it never worked out," Albany began. "And then there was Timebomb, too. I wonder if he's out here somewhere. I haven't seen him in years. He lived in Little Lamp Light for a while…"

"Little Lamp Light? Like, MacCready's Little Lamp Light?" Jack inquired. Piper cringed at the mention of Robert's name.

"Is MacCready here?" Albany was almost jumping with joy. "It's been ten years since I've seen him!"

"Yeah, he's around here somewhere. Saved my life from being killed by that damned raider," Jack explained.

"I have to go see him. See you guys around!" Albany exclaimed as she walked out the door.

"Small world, huh?"

"Yeah. It sure is," Piper agreed.

"Hey, uh… it's getting kind of late," Jack started, looking down at his pip-boy. "Want to head to bed?"

 _Hell yes._ "Yeah, sure," Piper replied. Jack had grabbed her hips and pulled her into a deep kiss that brought them to the bed, Piper slightly giggling the entire way.

 _This is a good day._

/\/\/\/\

 _Hey look, Author's Note at the end! Not something you normally see from me. Anyways, I just wanted to say I hope you enjoyed this chapter. This one's purpose was just to let things calm down a bit, and to let Piper and Jack's relationship progress a bit and to also progress Albany. I apologize if the ending feels a bit rushed, it's currently almost one in the morning as I type this. But either way, I hope you enjoyed._

 _Take care, frens._


	22. 22

_I'm going to take the moment to thank TheWriterOfFira, or music-from-the-commonwealth on Tumblr for the fanart they made of Jack! Thank you so much, friend, it's awesome. You are extremely talented, my friend. Also, I hope you don't mind if I use it for my blog's image_

 _Enjoy Chapter twenty-two. This chapter hurts me._

/\/\/\/\

" _Deathclaw!"_

 _Piper turned her attention to deathclaw that charged towards Jack. Aiming her pistol at the beast, she fired multiple shots into its stomach. The deathclaw roared in pain, and started running towards Piper. She ran as fast as she could away from the mutated chameleon. She ducked behind a rock as the deathclaw swung its claw at her. Piper grabbed her combat rifle and began firing shots into the beast's stomach once more. She watched as Jack attacked it from the behind, climbing up its back and onto its head. He repeatedly stabbed it multiple times in the eye, hopefully stunning it. The deathclaw grabbed him and violently threw him to the ground near Piper._

" _Blue! Jack, get back up!" Piper shouted as he slowly stood back up. "You alright?"_

" _Fine," he grunted, grabbing his shoulder and moving it around as he grabbed his rifle and began firing at the deathclaw._

 _Just as the beast was about to attack, Piper grabbed Jack by the collar and pulled him out of the way as it swung its claws violently. Jack quickly searched his bag and grabbed a grenade, throwing it in the deathclaw's direction. The explosion stunned the deathclaw, but not for long as it began charging towards the two once more._

" _Blue!" Piper shouted once more as the mutated chameleon swung once more, hitting Jack in the process, forcing him to fall to the ground as he shot the deathclaw in the stomach multiple times from underneath._

 _As the deathclaw backed off momentarily, screeching in pain, Jack grabbed a stimpack and shoved it into his chest before trying to make an escape, to no avail. The deathclaw grabbed onto his leg before throwing him once more, and then sinking its claws into his stomach. Piper could hear his screams of pain as she aimed her rifle at the deathclaw, shooting it multiple times before it fell to the ground. She hurried over to his side, injecting another stimpack into his chest._

" _Blue, come on, stay with me," Piper pleaded as she wiped the dirt from his cheek. "You aren't checking out now."_

 _Rain began to downpour on top of them, the blood washing away from his wounds. Piper pulled off the armor that covered his stomach and chest, trying her best to treat the wounds. Jack groaned in pain and dug his gloved fingers into the ground._

" _Piper, please, just go," Jack breathed, his voice heavy. "It'll be impossible to get me to a doctor in time, just let me go."_

" _I'm not letting you die on my watch, Blue," Piper demurred, tears already falling from her eyes. She watched as he smiled weakly. The shine and glow of his eyes slowly began to drain. She gripped onto his hand for dear life._

" _Love ya, Red. Stay alive out there," he whispered, his hand suddenly becoming lighter and the brightness of his eyes, finally gone. She could hear him take one last final breath._

" _No! Blue, come on," Piper spoke, knowing that she was speaking to a lifeless body. "You idiot! You aren't supposed to die! Not now!" She continued to deny that he was actually dead, despite knowing deep down that he was gone. The rain began to pour even harder as she slowly stood up, looking down at his body._

" _G-Goodbye, Blue," Piper said, choking out a loud sob._

/\/\/\/\

Piper sat up the moment she opened her eyes.

As she looked over to her left, she sighed in relief to see that Jack was still laying down next to her, breathing steadily. Piper could feel her heart racing and wiped the sweat from her forehead. _It was just a dream._ Standing up, she rubbed the tiredness and the threatening tears from her eyes. She changed into one of her own t-shirts and another pair of jeans before grabbing a pack of Grey Tortoise cigarettes. She knew what she was doing was probably a bad idea, but decided against her better judgement to just smoke this one time. Grabbing the lighter that hid underneath the dresser next to Kellogg's pistol, she lit the cigarette and placed it between her lips, sitting down on the stool.

Piper listened to the calming white noise of the rain and thunder. There was always something about heavy storms, such as this one, that calmed her. She was always scared of thunder as a young child. Who would have known one of the things she was terrified of would become the best thing for calming her? She blew out a puff of smoke into the moist air.

Standing up, Piper grabbed her coat and wrapped it around her frame. She stepped outside and stood under the overhang of the roof, blowing out more smoke.

"What are you doing out here this late, Piper?" she heard a voice say from around the corner of the bunker. MacCready's voice startled her as he revealed himself. "Or, should I say, this early."

"I should be asking you the same, RJ," Piper replied, discarding the cigarette.

"Fell asleep out here and got stuck in the rain. This was the closest place I could get to," he explained. "You?"

"Nightmare," Piper admitted without needing to explain in more than one word.

"Do you mind if I ask what it was about? I'm just a merc, but I am here if you need someone to talk to," MacCready said, leaning against the wall.

"I really would rather not go into detail, MacCready. Too painful to recount," Piper replied, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I understand. I get the same painful nightmare almost every goddamn night," he began. Now he had Piper's attention.

"Every time, I have to watch Lucy get mauled by ferals. Every goddamn time. But, sooner or later, you get used to it. God forbid you ever have to watch someone you care about die right before your eyes, Piper," the mercenary explained. Piper looked down as he finished, rubbing her eyes again.

"Hey, you alright?" MacCready called out.

"Yeah," Piper began, pausing for a moment. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine."

"Look, Piper… I know we don't have the best history, but if you need to talk to someone when no one else is available, I'm here for ya," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Piper pushed his hand off of her shoulder. "Thanks, MacCready, but I'll be fine. I-I'll manage."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure," Piper replied. "And, uh, I'm sorry for that little argument we had. I was under a lot of stress, so I apologize. And that's not something you hear a lot coming from me."

"Don't worry about it, Piper. I was kind of the one who started it, anyways," MacCready reassured her.

"Hey, uh, did Albany come and see you?" Piper asked, changing the topic.

"Yeah! It's been so long since the last time her and I talked," MacCready chuckled a bit to himself. "I can't believe I was _twelve_ ten years ago."

"Neither can I, MacCready. Neither can I."

The two stood in silence for a while until the rain finally slowed down to a slight drizzle. The mercenary said his goodbyes and headed for his own bed, and Piper went back inside. As she stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind her, Piper pulled off her coat and laid it down on the couch. She looked at the time on her terminal closely. _5:10 am._

 _Not going back to sleep any time soon,_ Piper thought as she turned on her heal and sat down on the stool, messing with the coffee machine.

/\/\/\/\

Jack awoke to the sun shining in through the window.

He slowly sat up and grabbed two stimpacks; injecting one in his stomach and the other into his shoulder. He was starting to feel a lot better. He wasn't in as much pain as he was before, thankfully. Due to the constant use of the stimpacks, the pain was reduced to a dull soreness. Jack grabbed his tank top and pulled it over his head and onto his body. He grabbed his flannel shirt and wrapped it around his frame, buttoning it up.

 _I feel good about today._

He smiled as Piper sat down next to him and handed him a cup of coffee.

"I figured out how to work the damn thing," Piper explained. "I woke up early so I decided to figure out how it works."

"Yeah, I saw you had gotten up earlier," Jack admitted, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her closer. "Did ya get a good sleep, Red?"

"Y-Yeah," Piper said, her voice becoming small and quiet. "Sleep could have been better."

Jack noticed something was off in her voice as she looked down. "Hey, is something wrong?"

"Not at all," she replied, trailing off.

"Was it… last night?" Jack inquired.

"No, it has nothing to do with that. I just had an awful dream, that's all," she explained. _Phew._ "Can you just promise me something?"

"Can't make the promise unless I know what it is," he said with a smile.

"Just don't die, alright? I don't think would be able to live without you by my side, Blue."

 _Wow. I wonder if that's connected to the 'awful dream.'_ "I'll try, alright?" Jack replied as he laid a kiss onto her head, forcing her to giggle.

"Good," Piper replied once she finished giggling. "I love you, Blue."

"Love ya too, Red," Jack concurred. "I have an idea."

"And that would be?"

"Since I'm starting to feel better, we could go to Dunwich Borers. I've heard rumors about the place, and supposedly, there is a huge mystery behind it," Jack explained. "And then the Museum of Witchcraft in Salem is near there."

"Are you sure? I don't want you getting hurt again," Piper spoke, worry in her voice.

"Yeah! It'll be fun. I mean sure, there will probably be some raiders or something there, but nothing we can't handle, right?"

Piper turns her head to the side a bit and smiles. "You're in a good mood today," Piper pauses, her smile fading. "What have you done with the real Blue?"

Jack laughs. "I'm just glad I get to spend my time with you, is all," he replied, poking Piper in the side, causing her to laugh. _God, I love her laugh._ Jack grabbed onto her hand as he pressed his own lips against hers. Every kiss they shared felt like the first one all over again; the tight yet excited feeling in his chest, the electricity and passion in the kiss, even the scent of ink and paper that lingered on Piper's clothes. He loved every goddamn second of it, and he would treasure it.

"Y-You know, you're a pretty good kisser if I do say so myself," Piper complimented him, blushing.

"Thanks, I try," he replied as he laughed. "We should probably start getting ready soon, if we want to head out in a bit."

Piper nodded. "Oh, Blue! Can we stop by Diamond City for a while? I have to get at least one of those articles printed on the printing press."

"Yeah, sure," he said as he walked over to one of his benches and started working on one of his weapons. He pulled out his knife and stared at it for a moment. _Did you forget, killer? Come on. Let the stress, anger and sorrow out._

 _Shut up, self._

 _You're going to have to succumb to it at some point…_

Jack shook his head at his own thoughts. He had finally kicked those mischievous thoughts out, and now they were back. _You keep ignoring yourself. You saw what happened last time. You broke down in front of her. If you don't address your stress, it'll be less pleasant…_

He pushed the thoughts once more from his head. He knew that his inner voice was right; he had so much stress pent up inside him. Jack needed to do something about it, yet he wouldn't; he couldn't. He was a soldier, a general, dammit! He had people to lead, enemies to fight. Jack needed to set an example for everyone. A general shouldn't be the one the people have to care for, it should be the other way around. He needed to care for the people… Yet, he needed to relieve the stress… he needed to-

Piper tapping on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts before they became irrational.

"Hmm?" Jack mumbled as he turned around, only to be pulled into another kiss. He could feel her arm wrap around his neck and a smile creep up on her face as the two kissed. They pulled apart shortly after.

"T-Thanks, you uh, kind of pulled me from some thoughts," Jack admitted, grabbing her hand.

"No problem."

 _God, I love her,_ was the most rational thought that came from all of that.

/\/\/\/\

 _The next chapters will be so much better._


	23. 23

_There is now a playlist for Jack!_

 _Here is the link: www-youtube-com/playlist?list=PlfMmKQliD1nAvdM3CpaYLmw_kePGb-mfn_

 _Of course, replace those first two dashes with dots._

 _There is some gore in this chapter. You have been warned. Turn back now if that is something you're not okay with. Enjoy._

/\/\/\/\

"Remind me, why are we here again?"

Piper lowered her combat rifle as her and Jack approached the cellar door of the large gothic-looking church. A Gunner lay dead on the ground, their limbs thrown about. The sight nearly made Piper gag. By now, she was used to seeing gore, but nothing to this extent. Who or what could do such a thing like that to a human being? She looked down at the decapitated head. The Gunner was female, and a look of fear was painted on her face. Piper gently closed the eyes of the dead woman.

"Because I was here multiple times before the war. The Salem Witch Trials was always something that fascinated me. I want to see what has become of this museum. Plus, it's creepy," Jack explained as he bent over and picked up a holotape off the ground. It was caked in the dead woman's blood. Jack wiped off the blood with his gloved finger before putting it into his pip-boy.

" _Jefferies! Lee got the recorder working. So, this the sorta detail ya had in mind when you signed up for the Gunners? Hauling luggage from Lynn Woods for some robot butler? Uh, what was his name? Was it Welliton? Wellingham?"_ the female voice spoke. Piper immediately recognized the name of the robot. The robot was stationed in Diamond City.

A male voice began to speak. _"Not now, Private Hart. Where the hell is Connors? He ain't at his post."_

The supposed Private Hart replied quickly. _"Oh, sorry sir. The lieutenant said he had found some tracks and wanted to check 'em out. Private Martin-"_

Hart was interrupted by Jefferies. " _Tracks? What tracks… what the hell is that?"_

" _Oh my… C-Connors? Where the hell is the rest of him?"_ her voice was shaky.

A loud roar could be heard in the holotape, followed by Jefferies. _"Jesus! It found us. Lee, get the case! Don't let that damn thing out of your sight! Get into the museum! Everyone, now!"_

" _Major, Major! What found us?"_ the holotape ended with another roar coming from whatever had killed the Gunner. Piper had an idea what it was, and prayed to whatever god was watching over them that it wasn't what she thought it was.

"Looks like we got a mystery on our hands," Jack spoke, pulling out his pistol and crouching down. Piper did the same as Jack opened the cellar doors and stepped down into the basement. She followed him, the wooden steps creaking. Piper could hear loud stomping coming from above. _Nonononono. Please, dear God, no._

"Blue, what the hell was that?" Piper whisper shouted as the two inched forwards.

"I don't know."

Piper could see the arm of what she assumed to be a Gunner poking through a hole in the ceiling. She could hear what sounded like a large creature feeding on its prey very loudly; she could hear the bones violently crunch and snap.

She grabbed onto Jack's arm for dear life. "Blue."

Her Blue grabbed onto her hand, squeezing tightly. "I'm right here. We'll be fine," Jack reassured her as he let go of her hand. _Damn right, I hope so._

Piper followed Jack up the stairs. Mannequins were littered everywhere; standing up, fallen down, and leaning against the torn up walls. The entire museum was falling apart. Hell, it was hard to even tell that it was a museum. There was rubble everywhere. Every corner they turned, a mannequin would be there, and every goddamn time it made Piper jump, taking her breath away.

"Son of a bitch," she heard her Blue mutter. He looked over the corpse of another Gunner. The body was torn apart, obvious claw marks where the body was barely held together. Piper couldn't even identify the gender of this one.

More loud stomping noises came from above, much louder this time. They were getting close to whatever beast caused the death of these Gunners. As the two turned yet another corner into a room, a scream could be heard. It didn't last long, as it was cut off by a loud roar and more stomping. _Someone just died up there. Ho-Ly shit._

They slowly climbed the stairs, guns at the ready. It led to a large, opened up area filled with more posed mannequins. Piper watched as a body was flung forward from behind the wall that hid whatever monster was there. Jack pulled out a frag grenade, pulled the pin and threw it towards the wall, hoping to hit whatever was there. A loud roar was heard, and out came a huge Alpha Deathclaw.

 _No. Nonononononono. No, no, nope. This isn't real._

Piper pinched herself.

 _Ow. Totally not a dream._

Fear rose in her chest as the deathclaw charged towards them. _This is the nightmare all over again._

 _Blue!_

She pulled her Blue out of the way, just like in the nightmare, before the deathclaw could get to him. Piper pulled him into the small room they came out of.

"You better have your goddamn Fat Boy or God so help me," Piper spat, venom and fear in her voice. She didn't want her tone to sound so rude, but then again, she did not want a repeat of her nightmare. Piper loved this man to pieces and she couldn't experience his death again, for real this time. She didn't know what the hell she would do if he did die, let alone when he did die later in his life.

Despite being 240 years old, he was still sort of young. He was thirty-one. He looked thirty-one, and moved as a thirty-one-year-old man. He was too young to die; at least for pre-war standards. Piper wanted him to live for as long as he possibly could.

Jack's words brought her back to reality.

"Of course I have it. Why wouldn't I?" Jack replied.

"Well, the last time we got stuck in a church you didn't have it," Piper retorted.

"Stand back," her Blue replied. The deathclaw was just outside the door of the small room. Piper stepped down on the stairs a bit, giving her Blue some room to launch the mini-nuke at the deathclaw.

The nuke flew out of the Fat Man's launcher, whizzing by as it landed on the wall outside of the room, creating a loud explosion on impact. She heard the deathclaw shriek in pain, and fall to the ground with a thud. All Piper could hear after that was ringing in her ears.

"Hey! The deathclaw is dead!" Jack shouted, but Piper could just barely hear him over the ringing.

"What?" Piper shouted back. It was obvious that Jack's ears were ringing too. Piper stuck a finger in her ear, scratching it. Slowly, her sense of hearing came back.

"I said the deathclaw is dead! We're safe now!"

Piper nodded as the ringing faded out. As they walked into the large room, she looked over at the dead deathclaw laying on the floor. Aiming her combat rifle at it, she loaded a full round into its head.

"Red, what're you doing? It's already dead."

Piper looked up at hearing her nickname. Her Blue looked worryingly into her eyes.

She scratched the back of her head and flashed a weak smile. "J-Just making sure."

That wasn't far from the truth. Piper didn't want that thing getting back up and killing the two. But she loaded the round into the dead deathclaw out of _rage_ and _fear._ As her Blue turned around, Piper noticed her eyes watering a bit. She wiped her eyes and sniffled before continuing forward.

 _Gah, how could one goddamn deathclaw encounter make me so misty eyed?_ Piper cursed herself.

She watched as Jack pulled down the chains that kept the front door closed. She tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the dead Gunner laying on the ground, surrounded by smashed deathclaw eggs and one unbroken one. This Gunner looked the same way as the previous ones; mauled to death, limbs and bones scattered about. Jack bent over and picked up yet another holotape and put into his pip-boy after picking up the deathclaw egg.

The voice began speaking. _"A nest full of deathclaw eggs. A dozen, maybe? They're all smashed to bits. Except this very one."_ Piper assumed he was referring to the unbroken egg that resided in the bend of Jack's arm.

" _No wonder they wouldn't tell us what was in the damn case. If I had known, I would've told the Gunner bosses and that glorified liquor cabinet, Wellingham, to take those Diamond City caps and stuff 'em. Now I know why that deathclaw tracked us all the way from Lynn Woods. We stole 'er damn kids. Maybe, just maybe, if we returned the eggs…"_ the Gunner paused as a tamer roar was heard. _"Oh, hey Momma. You lookin' for this?"_

The holotape cut out as Jack looked down at the egg.

"What're we gon' do with it?" Piper asked.

"I'm bringing it back to its nest," he concluded, looking up at her.

 _Oh no you're not._ "Are you kidding me? That's one more deathclaw we might have to worry about in the future."

"Everyone deserves a chance, remember Piper? Even if they are a mutated evil chameleon," he replied, his voice soft.

Her Blue was right. If Piper hadn't had that nightmare, she would've said the same thing. But that wasn't the case.

"Alright, let's go to… Lynn Woods, right? Yeah, lets head there," Piper responded, walking through the front door of the museum.

"If we die, Blue, I'm going to murder you."

/\/\/\/\

"Whoa, whoa, big guy. It's alright, I brought your egg back."

Jack gently placed the egg back down in its nest as the deathclaw slowly approached him. He heard Piper shuffle around nervously behind him. He looked over his shoulder at Piper, who had her rifle aimed at the deathclaw. He mouthed, 'it's alright' to her as she lowered her rifle. The deathclaw in front of him sniffed the egg before looking back up at him. Jack put his hands in the air before backing away slowly. The deathclaw looked as if it nodded before continuing to take care of its child.

Jack nodded at Piper before walking away from the nest, leaving the deathclaw to its child. Piper's footsteps were heavy behind him. The two were quiet as steady rain began to fall on them. It wasn't long before their hike led them to a military bunker, which they took refuge in from the rain until it stopped.

He thought to himself as the woman next to him snuggled up into the warmth of his body. _Heh. You did something worthwhile for once. And it was for a beast. Good going._ Jack cursed his own thoughts. He had just helped a _goddamn deathclaw_ and he gets these thoughts. He tried not to beat himself up this time like he usually did.

 _I've done good things for people. I've helped Sheffield, I've saved settlements-_

 _You let a kid die, killer. Did ya forget?_

The memory popped back into his head at the mere thought of it. He closed his eyes and could see the dead boy, sitting there, a bullet in his brain. He could see the blood pouring out of the side of his head so vividly. _I let that boy die!_ He remembered how he pummeled that raider with his bladed knuckles. The damn monster deserved it. He shot a _child_ through the head.

 _What makes you think you're so much better?_

That was the thing. Jack wasn't better than that raider in any way. They both had blood on their hands, whether it be innocents or raiders. The raiders he had killed were terrible in their own ways, but they were trying to _fucking survive._ And Jack had ended their chances of seeing the sun rise another day. He was nowhere near better than that raider.

This wasn't the Jack from before the war. Jackson Seth Schmidt was a man who cared about everyone, no matter how terrible they may be. Just like Nora, he believed that people who had done wrong deserved a chance to explain themselves and to get a fair trial. Jackson Seth Schmidt made time for himself. He never overdid himself, but always helped people when the opportunity presented itself. It was why Jackson Seth Schmidt hated the fact that he was _ordered_ to kill people in the Resource Wars.

Now, Jackson 'Bullseye' Schmidt was a different person completely. He would shoot down anyone who dare attack him. He wasn't afraid to. Jack Schmidt never made time for himself. He burned himself out for others, _like a candle,_ so that maybe he could feel better about killing raiders and other fools who dared to attack him. And it wasn't working at all. He burned himself out because others deserved better. People who had their whole lives stripped from them, whether at a young age or older age, deserved so much better than what Jack was getting.

And now, those two people were blurring together. Jack couldn't figure out who he was anymore by this point.

 _You're just Jack the Ripper, now._

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard quiet sobbing. Jack looked down at his favorite reporter that was still laying tight against him. Her shoulders were shaking. Her weeping could barely be heard over the sounds of rain and the rain pitter-pattering on top of the roof.

"Hey," Jack began, his voice strained. He cleared his throat before continuing. "Hey, you alright?"

When she didn't reply, Jack pulled her closer to him and squeezed her hand tightly. She sniffled and let out a tired sigh as she wiped her eyes with her free hand.

"Listen. I'm right here. You can tell me anything, you know."

"I know that but…" Piper paused, wiping her eyes once more. "That awful dream? N-Not very pleasant…"

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jack asked, rubbing his thumb along the top of her gloved hand.

"It was about y-you, and a deathclaw. A-And my worst f-fear coming true."

Oh.

 _Oh._

He knew what that meant. She had a nightmare about him dying to a deathclaw.

"Look at me, Piper. I told you that I will not allow myself to fall, okay? That is a promise."

"Don't make me a promise if you can't keep it, Jack. That promise is impossible to keep in the hell we live in," Piper retorted, her voice shaky and small.

"And I will prove to the hellish world we live in that someone can survive out here, alright? Because I will not fall," Jack said to her, staring into her emerald eyes. "Now, come on, love. Get some rest. You're going to need it."

 _Because I most certainly won't._


	24. 24

_Mod mentioned: HF Blade_

 _Please do let me know what you guys think of this chapter! I appreciate the feedback and support._

 _Enjoy._

/\/\/\/\

Jack sat against the wall of the military bunker across from Piper.

She had fallen asleep hours earlier, head leaning against the wall. When she did fall asleep, Jack stood up and began pacing the floor, thinking about his thought process from earlier. And now, there he was; sitting against the wall with his hands on his head. Jack never thought he could be so afraid of his own thoughts.

 _Let yourself go._ His thoughts were beginning to turn on him. The stress was beginning to get to him. The rational part of his brain told him to talk to Piper about it; but he knew he couldn't bring himself to do so. _If I told her what I was becoming, would she turn her back on me? Would she be afraid of me, if I became that thing?_ The thoughts plagued his mind immensely.

 _If you let the Ripper become you, the stress would go away._

Standing up, Jack viciously threw a punch into the wall, leaving a rather large hole in it. _Shut up._ He was no schizophrenic, but hell, he sure did feel like he was. Just as he rested his hand against the wall, he heard footsteps outside. _Great._ Pulling out his knife, he stepped out into the rain to face a man with donning combat armor. He had a mohawk that was dyed orange, and he had a cloth wrapped around his knee. A blade was strapped to his back. He walked with a limp as he approached Jack.

Jack grabbed the man and pushed him against the wall of the bunker, folding an arm behind his back and poking him gently in the neck with his throat.

"Explain yourself," Jack growled, twisting the man's hand slightly to cause pain.

"I-I'm Ezra! I'm an ex-raider," the man spoke, fear in his voice. _Where have I heard that name before? Ezra… Oh. Ezra._ Realizing who he was, he released the man. _What the hell are you doing? He sent raiders after you and caused your injuries! Force your hand!_

Ignoring his thoughts, he looked Ezra in the eyes. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kick your ass."

"Oh, you're that Vault Dweller, aren't ya? The kid who killed by brother?"

"Answer me before I do the same to you," Jack spat.

"Hmm. Maybe because if you try, you're gonna end up dyin' this time!" Ezra spat. "Shoulda' killed you when we had the chance."

Those last words that poured out of Ezra's mouth were enough to anger Jack. Just as he was about to walk away, Jack spun him around and landed a punch square in his face. Ezra stumbled backwards, gripping his nose.

"You broke my damn nose! You'll pay for that!" Ezra shouted as he threw a punch at Jack. Grabbing his oncoming fist, he twisted the ex-raider's arm and watched him fall onto his knees. _Do it._ He brought his foot up and stepped on Ezra's arm with force. He could hear the snapping of his bones as he shrieked in pain.

Jack's vision was painted red as he kicked the man in the chest. Tears fell from Ezra's eyes as he laid on the ground in pain, blood pouring out of his broken nose. He pulled out a pistol and aimed it at the ex-raiders head, pulling the trigger hesitantly. Jack whipped his head to the side as he heard the door slide open.

"Hey Blue, you ready to- oh my god," Piper spoke as she walked through the door. "I-Is that E-Ezra?"

Jack silently nodded, nudging the dead man with his foot. "He deserved it," he spat.

"B-Blue, we let him go for a reason," Piper began, her voice straining a bit. "We let him go so he could restart. And now, he doesn't get that chance."

Jack laughed. "He still fucking deserved it."

Piper crossed her arms over her chest. "Whatever. Let's just head out," Piper said. He could hear the venom in her voice.

Cursing himself silently, Jack grabbed the blade from Ezra, as well as his own rifle. _I probably shouldn't have done that._

/\/\/\/\

Jack was left to his thoughts once more as the two traveled to Dunwich Borers.

He ached to talk to Piper about something; _anything_ to break the damn silence. He could feel her eyes burning into his back behind him. He knew she was pissed about him killing Ezra. Jack just couldn't understand why. Piper and the others had let Ezra go free so he could restart his life and correct his mistakes. He understood that much; everyone deserves a second chance. But this guy had caused Jack to come close to _death._ He should know Piper enough; and he _does,_ to know that she would get back at anyone who had hurt the ones she cared about.

Piper must have been reading his mind, because she spoke up.

"Blue, what the hell was that back there?" she began. Jack froze in place, taking a huge breath. "You ruined his chance to start over." Piper stepped in front of him, looking into his eyes.

"I get that, Piper, but he caused me to almost die. I thought you would show him no mercy for that," Jack shot back, unexpected anger in his voice.

She laughed. "Are you kidding me? When I found out about Mayburn, I never thought to _kill him_ for what he did," Piper retorted, her voice shaking. "Blue, what has been wrong with you lately? I shook it off as nothing, but you've been acting really strange."

Jack gripped onto the fabric of his coat. "Heh. Where do you want me to start?"

"Really? Jokes?" Piper asked. "I'm serious, Blue."

 _I wasn't joking, Piper._ He refrained from speaking his mind out loud. "I'm sorry. I know I have been acting a little off recently. I'm trying to fix myself, okay?" Jack replied.

"I hope you do," Piper started. Her voice was becoming extremely shaky and heavy. "Because if this happens again, and it's an actual innocent person, we are going to have a problem. And it hurts me to have to go through that. So please, don't let it happen again. For your sake and mine."

Jack didn't say a word as he nodded and began walking again.

 _Ican'tfixmyself._

As the two approached the large quarry, Jack pulled out his sniper rifle, taking a look at the surroundings. He carefully placed the dot on his sights on the head of the raider, and pulled the trigger. He toppled over, falling into the Borers. He could hear other raiders freaking out as he walked closer towards the edge.

"There they are!"

Bullets began flying towards them as if was raining. Pulling out his Fat Man, he aimed it at a group of raiders and fired it. The nuke exploded on impact, sending bodies flying left and right. Just as he was about to fire another nuke, he was pushed off of the ledge and onto the stairwell below him. _Thank God._ He stood up, his vision blurring slightly as he heard Piper grunt from above.

"Don't start what you can't finish!" she shouted as she grabbed the heal of the raider and flipped him, landing on his back. _Holy fucking shit. Remind me never to get in a fight with Piper._ He could hear her pistol fire, and the sound of the bullet reaching the raider's head.

"Damn, Piper. Never knew you were capable of that," Jack teased a bit as he climbed the stairs and jabbed her in the side with his elbow.

"My father taught me some things," she explained. "Blue, company!"

Jack turned his head to see an incoming fist. The raider hit him square in mouth, to which he responded with an uppercut to the raider's chin. He pulled out his knife, he stabbed the raider in the neck before turning around and throwing his knife into the head of another raider. Piper fired a round into another oncoming raider as Jack grabbed his discarded Fat Man, launching multiple nukes into the mine.

Finally, silence fell on the Borers as Jack grabbed his knife and made his way down the stairs and to the bottom of the quarry, Piper close behind. Wiping the blood off of his mouth, he looted the fallen raiders of their caps and ammo before heading into the cave.

"God, they couldn't have put more lighting in here?" Piper complained as they continued. Jack stepped onto the lift and waited for Piper to board before pressing the button, ascending upwards. As they reached the top, the ground began to shake lightly under them.

"What the hell?" Jack spoke to himself out loud, grabbing onto the wall. As they further hiked through the large cave, they came across another group of raiders and a turret, which the couple took out with no problem. Piper flipped the switch, causing a light to switch on.

"Hey, look. Terminal," Jack informed her as he sat down in front of it, turning it on and hacking his way through.

"Did you try restarting the- Oh, never mind. You got it."

Jack made a barely noticeable noise as he searched through the contents of the terminal. "Huh. There is a bunch of reports of miners falling to their deaths, and a complaint to a higher up that they need more safety."

He stood up from the terminal, licking his lips as he grabbed his rifle. "Looks like we have a lead here."

Following the path to the left, they came across yet another terminal, followed by a workbench and an ammo box. Piper grabbed the ammo while Jack turned on the new terminal, hoping to find something more. _More complaints… huh._

"It looks to me as if Dunwich Borers LLC didn't want to invest their money into getting some goddamn railings," Jack explained.

"So, like McDonough?" Piper asked.

"Like McDonough. Except probably multiple McDonough's."

Jack could hear her make a disgusted noise before turning his attention to a locked cooler. He picked the lock within a few seconds, taking its contents.

"Deftly done, Blue," Piper complimented him. "You're good at that."

"Learned how to pick locks as a child," Jack explained, standing up. "Let's go."

The two continued further as the pit opened up more. The entire pit shook more violently the further they ventured. The shaking worsened the already awful vertigo Jack was getting. _This is not a good place to be._ He suddenly got the gut feeling that he _needed_ to get out of there, but kept pushing forward despite himself. They found yet another terminal, this time from a raider. _Grr. Nothing of importance._

Searching through the steamer trunk nearby, he grabbed a Nuka-Cola from the trunk and handed it to Piper before grabbing anything else useful. Turning his attention to the door, he pulled the chain off of it to reveal a corridor with feral ghoul corpses and a room ahead. The room consisted of multiple construction machines, one of them baring a skeleton inside it. As Jack approached the next door, the ground shook once more.

As he walked through the door, he was hit with a pre-war flashback. There were multiple miners sitting around near a machine, drinking coffee and having a laugh. _This is not one of my own flashbacks._ Jack felt a heaviness raise in his chest as he continued to watch the flashback. The area was in better condition than it was now. Jack grabbed onto the wall as his vertigo returned, causing his vision to go dark.

As he looked back up, the machine and workers were gone.

"Blue! Are you alright?" Piper asked, a hand on his shoulder.

"D-Did you see that?" Jack replied, trying to regain his composure.

"See what?"

"The f-flashback… There was… there were workers… and," Jack spluttered.

Piper sat him down against the wall. "Shh. Breathe, Blue."

After a few minutes of trying to calm his own breathing, he explained what he saw. _I can't even handle a flashback that isn't mine,_ he told her. Piper pulled him into a comforting hug and pressed her lips against his cheek.

"Everything will be alright, Blue. I promise," Piper said, lowering her voice to a comforting tone. "Do you want to go home, or?"

"L-Let's keep going," Jack replied, trying to hide what he was really thinking.

"Are you sure? I hate to see you in pain like that, Blue."

"Yes. Come on," he shot back immediately, standing up and flipping the switch on the wall to light up the room. Piper was about to say something when multiple feral ghouls came rushing in towards them, one jumping on Jack.

Pulling out his knife, he shoved the blade into the ghoul's head and kicked it off. After grabbing his knife, he pulled out the High Frequency blade he looted off of Ezra to kill the rest of the ghouls. As he stood over the bodies of the ghouls, he could feel his own mental stability wearing thin.

 _Breathe. Calm down._

He began his mantra over again, one he hadn't used since the last time he broke down. _I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay._

After multiple deep breaths, he continued on, Piper following. They came across a fork in the path they were following. Taking the straight path, he eyed a water pit and another flashback came. There were multiple people all down on their knees, hands tied behind their back. A man stood at an alter with candles surrounding it, preaching. The flashback didn't last long.

"God… there was… a sacrificial r-ritual here," Jack breathed. Piper looked at him with a look of confusion, yet worry. "Flashback."

Jack eyed the skeletons laying on the floor. "Those w-were the victims. S-Something sinister h-happened here," he explained. Looking over at the water pit, he stepped closer to it. There was something about it that sent chills down his spine.

"Gimme a moment," Jack said, jumping into the pit. As he swam down to the bottom, he found a large face sticking out of the dirt. The ground began to shake, almost as if they were in an earthquake. He turned to his right to find a room. He could just barely make out a table inside. As he swam in, he noticed there was a blade on the table. Jack grabbed it, and swam back up to the top.

"Well? What did you find?" Piper inquired, eyeing the sacrificial blade in his hand.

"I found a face in the bottom of the pit. And I found this; Kremvh's Tooth," he explained.

"A face at the bottom? Was it just… peeking out?"

"Yeah. Large, stone face. Partially revealed."

"Might want to ask Albany about it," Piper began. "There was an article written back in 2277 about a place called the 'Dunwich Building.' There, an entity only known as Ug-Qualtoth was worshipped. There might be a connection."

"Hm. Maybe," Jack started. "We need to get out of here. This place is really putting me on edge."

Jack walked out of the room as fast as he came in and took the other path, leading him out of the cave.

/\/\/\/\

Jack sat silently on the couch of _Publick Occurrences_ while Piper sat and worked at the printing press.

He tried to hide that he was breaking down. Last time, he could let himself break down in front of her. But this time, he _couldn't_ because if he did, that other side of him, that _monster, killer, the Ripper_ would escape. Jack wouldn't let her see that side. But he needed to let all that stress go away. Somehow. _Just let Jack the Ripper come out._ Jack pinched the bridge of his nose to avoid the oncoming stress headache. _You aren't you anymore._ And he was right. He needed to _fucking_ embrace that and accept it.

Jack needed to get out of his own thoughts. "Hey, Red?"

"Yeah?" Piper asked, turning her head.

"Did you name this place after _Publick Occurrences Both Foreign and Domestick?"_ Jack asked.

"What?" Piper replied, blinking in confusion.

"Y'know. America's first newspaper that was shut down by the British after only one article," Jack explained. "It was started in Cambridge in 1689, shut down in Boston in 1690."

"Oh, uh. No, I didn't name it after that," Piper answered.

Jack chuckled. "Then you've got a spelling error in the name, Piper."

"It isn't spelled 'P-U-B-L-I-C-K?"

"Nope. Public is spelled without a 'k.' The old Publick was spelled with a k, but you didn't name it after that," Jack explained.

"Oh my god," Piper sat there with a look of disbelief on her face.

"Yep."

" _Oh my god._ I have a _typo_ in my own paper's name," she said, putting her elbows down on the desk the press at on, cradling her head in her hands.

Jack stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder and laughed. "But hey, it ain't a big deal."

"Watch, I'm going to end up spelling _Occurrences_ with an 'a'," Piper half-joked. Jack tapped on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him.

"Hmm?" Piper was cut off by Jack kissing her on the lips, to which Piper stood up to get a better angle. For once, Jack finally felt safe as the two kissed. Jack could feel the corners of Piper's mouth turn up into a smile. All of a sudden, the door swung open to reveal Nat standing there.

"Oh, uh, ew," Nat said, immediately regretting walking through the door. _Sorry Nat._ The two pulled away as they looked over at Nat, both blushing. "Ugh, get a room," Nat mumbled as she set down the stack of newspapers she had in her hands.

"S-Sorry, Nat, didn't mean to scar you for life," Jack choked out as he rustled Nat's hair with his gloved hand, earning a low growl from her.

"So, you two are finally together?" Nat asked. "About time. I saw how flustered Piper got around you. Plus that whole conversation we had-"

Piper covered Nat's mouth with her hand. "S-She's speaking crazy!"

"What conversation?" Jack inquired, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. Piper subconsciously moved her hat slightly, her eye twitching. Nat removed Piper's hand from her mouth, and explained everything in one breath.

"The day that you came to visit and Piper and I were at Power Noodles she asked for my advice!"

Jack smiled as Piper smacked her palm to her forehead in embarrassment, making a disappointed noise. "Oh really now?"

"Mhm! And-" Piper cut Nat off before she could continue.

"Hey, Nat, you and Sheng get together yet?" Piper jibed, causing Nat to freak out.

"Ew! No! I don't like him!" Nat exulted, walking away. Piper cackled in success.

"Surrreee, Nat!" Piper called out before chuckling.

"You got advice from a twelve-year-old?" Jack asked.

"Not proud of it."

"Anyways, want to head over to Home Plate? It's getting kind of late," Jack questioned.

"Why can't we stay here?"

"Nat," Jack breathed out, explaining everything with one word.

Piper nodded. "Yeah, let's head to Home Plate."

It was the first time Jack had been truly happy in a while.


	25. 25: Adventures in Babysitting and Stuff

_I'm back! I had some family visiting during the weekend, and now I finally have time to get this chapter out!_

 _I'm going to take a moment to explain the idea behind this chapter; Our good friend, TheWriterofFira (aka music-from-the-commonwealth on tumblr) drew this awesome comic about Jack babysitting Nat and it was too cute not to put it in here. Thank you, friend!_

 _This is also the only chapter that I'm giving a name: Adventures in Babysitting. And stuff._

 _Oh and be proud I actually made these two happy for once and not all angst-y holy shit_

 _Well, for the most part._

 _Enjoy._

/\/\/\/\

Piper awoke with a wide smile on her face.

It wasn't often Piper woke up in a good mood; she wasn't much of a morning person. Piper hated having to get up so early in the morning, and she could never eat anything most mornings. She dreaded the mornings more than anything. But today, today was different. Piper shifted slightly, remembering the night before and Jack's arms wrapped around her mid-section and their legs tangled together. Being with her Blue gave her a deep sense of safety and security, and she cherished every damn moment she could.

Piper gripped one of Jack's hands that rested near her stomach. She ran her thumb over his hand, noticing all of the callouses and scars on them. His skin was rough and dry. The skin on his fingers were beginning to split open. She felt his hand grip hers tightly. Piper looked over her shoulder to find Jack smiling at her.

"Hey."

"Hey, Red," he spoke softly, still smiling. _He could light up a whole room with that smile._ He pressed his lips against her head before nuzzling his nose into the nape of Piper's neck, causing her to giggle uncontrollably.

"Love ya, Pipes."

"And I love you too, Blue," Piper responded, rolling onto her back to face her Blue.

"I really mean it, y'know. You're the best thing that ever happened to me in this irradiated hell we live in. You're above Nuka-Cola Quantum on the list of things I deeply care about, and trust me, that means a lot," Jack explained with a laugh.

"Wow. You care about a soda more than your other friends?" Piper asked, a grin spreading across her face.

"Piper, Nuka-Cola Quantum is a very important thing to me," Jack joked, the smile still on his face. "You would know that by now."

"Well, I'm glad I'm more important than a glowing soda that looks like it tastes like sweet death," she replied. "How'd ya sleep?"

"Best sleep I've had in two-hundred and ten years. Probably because I've got you by my side," Jack chirped. Piper pulled the covers over her face, hiding her blush.

"All of this sappy stuff comin' from you is makin' me blush, Blue. I applaud you," Piper admitted, her voice slightly muffled from the blanket.

"It's nice for a change, ain't it? No bullets flying at us, no ghouls chasing us. We finally have some peace and quiet," Jack replied, sitting up and leaning on his elbow.

"Yeah. It is nice," Piper admitted, pulling the covers away from her face. "It's always nice when the threat of death isn't looming over our heads."

"You can say that again," Jack chuckled, standing up. "Power Noodles sound good for breakfast?"

"Sure. Although I've got to run a few errands first, if you don't mind," Piper said. Jack nodded in agreement as he pulled on his flannel shirt over his tank top.

"You don't mind watching Nat for about an hour, do you?" Piper stood up, making the bed.

"Uh, yeah! S-Sure," Jack hummed.

"Are you sure? If you don't want to, I understand."

"I'm sure," he replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Great," Piper said with a smile, before changing into different clothes. She pulled on her coat, and fixed her press cap onto her head. She stepped down the stairs, Jack following close behind her. The two strolled over to the living room of Home Plate. Piper pulled Jack closer to her by the belt loops of his jeans, kissing him. She felt a wave of euphoria wash over her as he returned the passionate kiss.

And of course, Nick just had to walk through the door.

Nick stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh. _Oh._ "

 _Every. Goddamn. Time._ "H-Hey, Nick," Piper stuttered. _For fucks sake._

"What're you doing here?" Jack questioned Nick, a hand on his forehead.

"Well, I was just dropping by. I'm working on a case, and Nat informed me that you two were here. And then I walked in on that."

"Yeah, uh- heh, sorry about that," Jack spluttered. "H-How is the case going?"

"Going pretty swell, if I do say so myself. I have multiple leads, so I should be able to crack it soon enough. Anyways, I, uh, I'll leave you two to your peace," Nick said before hastily walking out the door.

Jack sighed heavily before turning back to Piper. "Every time. Every time I try to show some goddamn affection, that happens. And people wonder why the hell I have a hard time showing it."

"I know. It sucks," Piper replied, followed by another kiss. "Come on, let's go. We have the whole day ahead of us."

/\/\/\/\

"Hey Nat."

Jack sat down at the table next to Nat. She was doodling on a piece of paper, her tongue sticking out slightly.

"You two have fun," Piper chirped as she walked out the door.

Jack continued to watch her doodle. He had no idea what Nat was drawing, but it looked interesting. She hummed as she drew. _Maybe she'll be an artist._ "Whatcha drawing, Nat?"

"Just some buildings. Like the ones you see outside the wall," Nat explained.

"Here, let me show you something," Jack said, pulling out his own pencil and drawing on the paper. "If you want to make a shape look 3D instead of 2D, you angle this line outwards, and then draw down. You connect that line at the bottom with the original shape."

Nat looked a bit confused. "3D is how you see everything. If you looked at one of those buildings outside of the wall at a certain angle, you'd see two sides of it. 2D is what you were drawing before," Jack explained.

"You're really good at this, Jack," Nat told him. "You've got to show me more sometime!"

Jack smiled at her enthusiasm. "Of course, Nat. I'd love to."

Nat continued to draw. She was pretty good at it, too. She perfectly drew a large hole in the side of the building, and the shading she did was decent. Some of the shading was put in the wrong place, but she was still doing a pretty good job. Jack occasionally stepped in to help her. He thought babysitting Nat was going to be a bit of a pain, but actually, it was turning out to be really fun.

 _Fun. Such a foreign word, nowadays._ By the time they had finished, they had actually drawn a full-on town. Nat drew the buildings, and Jack drew everything else.

"We should hang this up next to your sister's desk," Jack said.

"How are we going to do that?" Nat asked.

"Just watch me," Jack replied with a smile. He walked upstairs and held the paper against the wall, pulling out some duct tape and taping it to the wall. He stepped back, almost falling into the bed behind him as he pulled out a railway rifle.

"Nat, you might want to get behind me. Just in case," he warned her. She crawled onto Piper's bed, watching Jack. He aimed at the paper, and shot a railway spike at the paper. It hit the paper perfectly, landing near the edge of it.

"Don't tell Piper I did that," Jack joked as he put away his railway rifle.

"That was cool! Can you do it again?" Nat asked tugging at Jack's sleeve.

"Not now, Nat. Maybe sometime Piper and I can take you to Sanctuary, and we can shoot it there. You don't want your sister to kill us _both,_ do ya?"

"You're right. She would kill us both," Nat replied.

"Come on, let's do some more drawing. You're really good at it," Jack told her, walking down the stairs and sitting down at the table. He watched as Nat sat down and grabbed another piece of paper and began doodling again. Watching Nat gave him a sense of nostalgia. He remembered back before the bombs dropped, holding Shaun in his arms. Nat may be almost a teenager, but for some reason, it made him feel so nostalgic. The home flashed to his old pre-war house momentarily, but he quickly came back to reality.

"Hey, Jack?" Nat asked, turning her head towards him.

"Yeah?"

"Piper never really talks about it, but… what do you?" Nat questioned him. _Oh god._

"I-uh, I keep the Commonwealth safe. I k-kill anyone that tries to stop me, or threatens the Commonwealth," Jack explained, gulping as he finished his sentence.

"Oh yeah! I heard about that fight you had in the Dugout Inn," Nat began. _I hope this doesn't go where I think it will._ "You beat up those two bad mercenary guys! I heard some people were afraid."

 _Shit…_

"Y-Yeah. They w-were going to kill V-Vadim; I couldn't let that happen." _It wasn't for Vadim._ "I almost killed him…"

"Ooh! I have an idea!" Nat exclaimed and began to draw again. _Thank god._ Jack rested his elbow on the table, and held his head in his hand as he watched Nat doodle once more. It looked like she was drawing a person. She grabbed a red crayon and began coloring the person in, and drew a box around it.

Once she was done, she gestured towards the drawing. "This is you, and this is your badness level," Nat began. The drawing was of him with sharp teeth, and holding a large knife. "It's unusually high for someone your size."

 _Oh my god._ "Nat, I'm fu- freaking taller than you," Jack commented, stopping himself from swearing in front of her.

"Still!" Nat demurred.

"Just… Just go back to drawing, Nat," Jack told her, and she did what she was told, leaving Jack to his thoughts. He had to admit, that _really fucking freaked_ him out. If a twelve-year-old child could pretty much identify that he was slipping away, then it was very possible Piper could put all the pieces together. He prayed to whatever god there was that she never did. She deserved so much better. Piper didn't need to worry about him. He could help himself. _Come on. You know you can't._ His inner voice returned once more. _Shut up, self._

He was dragged out of his thoughts at the sound of the door swinging open.

"Hey! I'm back! How'd it go?" Piper asked as she stepped through the door, a smile spreading across her face.

"Nat is a really good-" Jack was cut off by Nat.

"Jack is troubled… I know what he needs! He needs desserts!" Nat exclaimed.

" _No,_ " Jack immediately said, his hand in the air. "I do not need desserts."

"What was wrong with the Insta-Mash?" Piper questioned, leaning up against the wall.

"DESSERTS!" Nat exclaimed once more before hopping down out of her chair and running around the table. Piper stopped her with a hand on her forehead.

"You've got school, missy," Piper told her, ruffling her hair a bit. "You should probably head down there before you're late again. You don't need _another_ detention."

"Awww! But I want to stay here!" Nat whined.

"Nat, you are one detention away from getting suspended! Go, you're going to be late!" Piper exclaimed as she ushered her to the door. Jack could hear her footsteps as she walked out the door.

"What? Are you going to kiss your boyfriend?" Nat called back. Piper turned as red as Nat's drawing.

Piper balled her fists as she called back to her sister. "Oh, is Sheng going to kiss you again today?"

"EUGH!" Nat called back before Piper closed the door. She chuckled silently before sitting down next to Jack at the table.

"She's a really good artist, you know. Her and I drew something earlier; it's hung up next to your desk upstairs," Jack told her, putting his feet up on the table.

"Hm. I'll have to take a look at it later. I am _so happy_ that you two are finally getting along," Piper admitted. "Oh, and also; troubled?"

Jack felt as if he was back in his cryopod as she said that. _Don't show it._ "She is just a kid, Piper. Kids say weird things," Jack said, hoping she'd buy it.

"I'm aware of that, Blue, but I don't take things like that gently. What did she mean?"

Jack put his head down on the table. "Listen, everything is totally fine."

"Blue, come on. You know I'll find out what's bothering you eventually," Piper badgered, reaching a hand to the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair.

 _She's right, you know._ "I'm just… stressed. I thought having a nice day off with you would relieve the stress… but so far, it ain't working," Jack explained. _Well, it isn't far from the truth._

"Blue, hiding it isn't going to make it better, okay? If there is something bothering you, _please tell me._ I love you, Blue, and I hate seeing you suffer from stress," Piper told him, her gloved hand still on the back of his head. "And don't think about it too much. That'll also make it worse. Just relax, alright?"

"Fine," Jack started. "I'll try. And next time, I will inform you."

"Good. Now, come on. Let's head to Power Noodles," Piper said before standing up.

 _Maybe she's right. I'm probably overreacting. Am I overreacting? Yeah, yeah I am. I need to relax._

(-)

 _Everything is okay and nothing hurts._


	26. 26

_I learned a new pressure point from writing this chapter. Enjoy._

 _There is some gore in this chapter. You have been warned._

 _This is probably my favorite chapter._

/\/\/\/\

Jack sat down on one of the stools of _Power Noodles,_ Piper sitting down next to him.

 _This is going to be a good day. Do not let yourself slip,_ Jack thought to himself. This was supposed to be a relaxing day, and no one would tell him otherwise. His own thoughts weren't going to ruin this day for him. _Please don't be afraid of your own thoughts._

Piper tapped Jack on the shoulder, causing him to look her way. "Hey, Blue, how about I introduce you to my confidential informant?" Piper asked, a wry smile on her face. She turned to the broken robot. "Takahashi! _Thank you_ for meeting me here."

"Nan-ni shimasho-ka?"

" _No._ But we've been traveling together for ages!" Piper continued, her hands gripping the edge of the bar. 

"Nan-ni shimasho-ka?" Takahashi reiterated the Japanese phrase. Piper turned to him, her smile not leaving her face.

"Sorry, Blue," she started. "The gig is up. Takahashi told me _everything." Everything?_

 _Shush, self._

"Web of lies, gone. I mean, I bet your name isn't even Blue, is it?" Piper joked, playfully punching him in the arm. _Stupid, you can calm down._

Jack took a deep breath before laughing nervously. "I'll pay," Jack breathed before pulling out a small sack of caps.

"You sure? I can pay if you want," Piper objected.

"Yeah. I've got plenty of caps," Jack answered, pulling out enough caps to pay for two noodle cups. "Here you go, Taka. Two cups." The robot took the money and quickly turned away, grabbing two cups and filling them with noodles. Takahashi hurriedly spun back around, handing the cups to them.

"Thanks, Taka," Jack thanked him and went to eating his noodles. "You know, it's a real shame we can't fix the bot."

Piper nodded in agreement. "McDonough refuses to fix him. He thinks it's a symbol to the culture of Diamond City."

Jack chucked. "A symbol to the culture, eh? Don't you mean a symbol to the corruption and how crooked Diamond City is?"

Piper laughed in response. "True. Crooked robot, crooked city."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, both eating their noodles. They weren't nearly as good as pre-war noodles, not at all. But they were good enough. Jack swirled the noodles around with his chopsticks, tangling them around the wooden sticks. _I wish I had some butter or something else to put on these._ That was another thing he really missed about pre-war life. The food back then was amazing. So many different choices. And _pizza!_ How could he forget about the pizza? Nobody would believe him if he tried to explain the old world foods. Then again, it's hard enough to believe that Jack was from before the war. He smirked, thinking of something totally cheesy. _Pun intended._

He was going to say it out loud, but it came out as a mumble. " _This could totally be a Lady and the Tramp moment,"_ he spoke quietly, remembering that Piper would have no idea what the hell he was talking about.

"Hmm?" Piper asked, looking over at Jack, chopsticks in hand.

"N-Nothing," he replied, leaning into his bowl. "I just thought about something really cheesy and I said it out loud. Don't worry 'bout it. It's a pre-war thing, I don't think you'd really get it."

Piper frowned. "Aww. Alright, then."

"Sorry. It's just not really interesting," he explained. "It's stupid."

"If you say so."

 _It seems like yesterday I was sitting at home, with my parents and sister, watching that old damn movie,_ Jack thought, stuffing noodles into his mouth. He truly did miss his old life sometimes. He missed the smell of the newspaper that came every day and the hot coffee. He missed the food and the people. He missed the crickets chirping at night, right outside his window, and the cicadas buzzing in the summer. Jack missed every little tiny aspect of it. It wasn't until after he killed Kellogg that the realization actually hit him; _I can't go back. I'm stuck here. This is my new life._

Jack returned to reality at the sound of a low, raspy voice near him.

"If it ain't Piper and Vaulty themselves," the security guard began. He didn't sound like a regular guard to Jack.

"I'd appreciate if you wouldn't call me that," Jack shot back. There was something off here, but Jack couldn't put his finger on it.

"I can call you whatever I want, _Vaulty,"_ the guard said, his Bostonian accent causing him to drop the 'r' on 'whatever.'

 _I don't feel like getting into a fight,_ Jack thought as he shook his head and leaned into his bowl once more.

"Ya know, Wright, McDonough doesn't want ya comin' here anymore," the guard continued on. Jack looked up from his bowl.

"What, to Power Noodles? You're crazy. I _live here,_ I _eat here,"_ Piper objected.

"McDonough's orders, Wright. Now leave, before I'm forced to take ya down to the Suite," the guard threatened, grabbing Piper's shoulder. Jack stood up so fast that he almost had to sit back down due to the vertigo.

"Don't you _dare_ put a hand on her," Jack growled, furrowing his brows and clenching his fists. The guard raised his pipe pistol up to Jack's head. He felt shivers run down his spine as he looked down the barrel of the weapon, but he kept his composure. The color of his eyes slowly evolved into a deeper blue as anger built up in his chest and throat.

"Shoot me. I fucking dare you," Jack spat. He squeezed Piper's arm, letting her know that she needed to move just in case. He could feel her arm shaking as he let go. She stepped back.

"You'd love that, would ya?" the guard shot back. Jack grabbed a fistful of the fabric of his jeans, trying not to let his anger get to him.

Well, he tried not to let it get to him, anyways.

The guard shot his pistol. The sound made Jack's ears ring indefinitely as he ducked out of the way, grabbing the arm of the guard and twisting his arm. He could hear another person walking up to him. He turned his head so fast he almost gave himself whiplash. The man wore DC security guard armor, and he was taller than Jack. Before he knew it, he felt the man press his thumb violently under his chin, and then passing out.

/\/\/\/\

He awoke in a poorly lighten room, his hands and feet tied together.

 _Fuck. Where is Piper?_ He waited for his eyes to adjust to the sudden dark of the room before searching the room. They were in a small room, Piper sitting in the opposite corner. She seemed as if she was unconscious. Jack ran through many ideas as of how to escape. _My knife!_ He pulled his knees up to his chest and reached for his knife in his combat boots. After several failed attempts at reaching his knife, he finally got it. He placed the handle of it in his mouth and cut off the ropes around his hands before untying his feet. _Idiots. Whoever brought us here didn't even make an effort at taking my stuff off of my person._

He scrambled over to Piper's side, untying her wrists and feet. He stopped for a moment to check if she was breathing. Jack watched as her chest slowly rose and fell. He sighed with relief as he looked over at her wrist. He noticed fresh blood on the cuff of her sleeve and on her glove. There were two tears on her glove, one on the cuff of her sleeve. He rolled up Piper's sleeve and rolled her glove down a bit to find three slashes on her arm, all seeming to be fresh.

Jack pulled out a stimpack and shoved it into her arm. He needed answers. _So much for a relaxing day._

He pressed a kiss to her head before stalking over to the door, and tried the handle. _Locked._ He ducked when he heard laughter and saw a man walk by his door. Jack pulled out his box of bobby pins and his screw driver, placing them inside the lock. After a few broken bobby pins, he managed to unlock the door. He crept out of the room on the balls of his feet and eyed his bag laying down against the wall. He picked up Piper's pistol and slid it across the floor into the room behind him. Pulling out his silenced pistol, stalking through the hallways of what seemed to be like an old military outpost.

As he made his way through the endless hallways, he killed what he thought were a bunch of mercenaries. He eventually reached the main room. The two perpetrators that attacked them in Diamond City were standing there, surrounded by multiple other men. The two men standing in the center, still donning DC gear, looked extremely familiar. The stronger looking man spoke first.

"Aye, Vaulty decided to wake up. What took ya so long?" the man asked. Jack quickly looked at his pip-boy for the time. _1:56pm, January 25_ _th_ _, 2288._

 _We've been gone for two days. I hope Nat isn't fucking worried sick…_

"Where's yer reporter girl? Uh… Piper! That's 'er name. Where is she?" the taller, skinnier man said.

Everything clicked at that moment.

 _Hey-hey, isn't that… uh, Tim and Dennis? The guys that talked trash about Piper and Nora back at the Dugout Inn?_

 _Oh, I think it is._

 _Hm. Sic 'em._

Jack's eyes turned a deeper blue as he aimed his pistol at the head of Tim and shot before anyone could even think of attacking him. Tim fell with a loud thud, and the next thing Jack new, Dennis was charging towards him. Jack quickly ducked and moved out of the way, allowing him to fall to the floor as he quickly shot two men down with his pistol. He heard running footsteps coming from behind him. As the man reached Jack, he grabbed the head of the man and brought his nose down on his knee before snapping his neck. Two more men attempted to attack him, failing miserably as they ran into his outstretched arms. Jack pushed them down to the ground before grabbing the incoming fist of another incoming mercenary from behind him, and flipping him, the man landing on top of the other two.

 _Let your anger burn furiously! Show them who Jack the Ripper is! You are not their fool._

 _No, no, no, no._

 _Yeah. Yes. Yes._

Jack shouted as he pulled out his Ripper and began cutting down the remaining men with extreme ease. Dennis watched in horror as Jack gruesomely killed the last merc, the man on his knees. The Ripper hacked away at the man's shoulder as Jack sliced it through his body horizontally all the way down to his waste. The dead man fell to the ground, a wry and insane smile spread across Jack's face.

"L-Look, Vaulty, w-what do you want? I-I-I'll give ya anythin'! Anythin' to keep me alive!" Dennis spluttered.

" _I want you dead,"_ Jack growled, his voice deeper and raspier than he expected it to be, the crazed smile never leaving his face. He heard quiet footsteps behind him, but that wasn't of his concern at the moment.

Jack lurched forward, grabbing the mercenary by the throat and pushing him against the wall.

"V-Vaulty! W-W-We were kiddin' about all that bullshit we said 'bout ya girl," Dennis said, trying to convince Jack to let him go in any way possible. Jack was not buying it at all.

" _The Ripper,"_ Jack corrected him with a low growl. _Come on, self. Snap out of it._

Ignoring his own pleading thoughts, he tightened his chokehold on the man. _End him._

Giving in to his contradicting thoughts, he took out his knife and slowly pierced Dennis's chest with it. Jack watched as the word 'Killer' that was carved into the blade disappeared as the blade sank further into his chest. He let go of his chokehold on Dennis, his lifeless body falling to the ground. He pulled the knife out of his chest and wiped the blood off on the man's DC security guard armor.

Eyeing a jacket to his right, he pulled it off of the dead body and pulled it on over his blood stained flannel shirt. The jacket seemed to be a sniper jacket. It looked a lot like MacCready's duster, but he didn't really care as he buttoned it up. He grabbed a DC helmet and looked down at it, wiping off the blood that was splattered across it.

 _You're just Jack the Ripper, now._

Jack's eyes slowly faded back to the blue hazy color they were as he looked behind him. Piper was standing at the doorway, covering her mouth with her fist.

"Oh, god," Piper began. "Ugh, I think I'm gonna be sick…"

 _SHIT._

Jack fell to his knees, splashing in the blood underneath him as he realized what a massacre he just caused.

"Blue… dear god…" he heard her mumble as she walked into the room, stepping over the bodies of the fallen mercenaries.

 _What have I become? I'm sorry._

/\/\/\/\

 _Okay like I am legit sorry for how much gore is in this chapter, holy shit._

 _The fight scene and shit was much better in my head. That's one thing I've got to improve on; fight scenes. Try listening to Message Man by twenty one pilots while reading the fight scene. Maybe it'll make the scene better. I dunno._

 _Hope you enjoyed!_


	27. 27

_This chapter was a bit odd. I had a real tough time getting this chapter finish, so please do let me know what you think!_

/\/\/\/\

 _He stays home from work this time_

 _He never really told his wife_

 _He never really told a_ _ **lie**_ _but this time he decides that it's alright. It's alright._

 _No one really knows his mind and no one knows behind his eyes._

 _The man deserves a medal, but he's never really won a prize before._

 _He goes to lock the door._

 _He is falling in love; he knows it's enough_

 _And the world looks down and frowns_

 _ **\- Johnny Boy, twenty one pilots**_

[-[-]-]

"Blue, what the hell happened?"

Piper had never seen him go so ballistic before. She had walked in on the middle of the skirmish, and regretted sticking around to watch. The last time she saw Jack do something like this was back in the Dugout Inn, and that wasn't _nearly_ as bad to what he just did. _What could have forced him to do this?_ Piper had a lot of questions, but she was still waiting for the first one to be answered.

"They deserved it," Jack growled, venom in his voice. His low, rough tone was like sandpaper to Piper's ears. Jack continued. "Dennis. Tim… t-those guards… it was them."

Piper placed a hand on his shoulder, only to earn another growl from him. " _Don't touch me."_

His reaction surprised Piper. Jack, for the most part, welcomed any comforting contact. She immediately pulled her hand away from his shoulder, a bit out of fear. He seemed… unstable and distraught. God knows what would happen if she pissed him off while he's like this.

"B-Blue, is there anything I can do to help?" Piper questioned. She needed to be careful with him.

Her Blue covered one side of his face with his hand. "I need you… to just… give me some space. Please."

Doing as he said, Piper stepped away from. The wooden floor beneath him creaked. He jumped at the sound, his hands shaking lightly out of anxiety. As he finally stood up straight, he shook out his hands. Jack pulled out his knife and twirled it in his hands.

"You alright?" Piper asked him, still staying a few feet away from him.

"I just… no-yes, I'll be fine," he replied, his voice shaky as he continued to spin the knife with his fingers. "G-Give me a few minutes… and… we can go, and we can talk- I need to talk to _someone."_

Piper nodded. She was looking forward to that talk. This stress of his wasn't going away. Hell, it was starting to stress her out, too. She watched as Jack stepped out into the hallway, his knife still in his hand. Piper followed him, still keeping her distance unless he said otherwise. He had a cigarette wedged between his lips, the burning end lighting up his face. He looked so _tired._ Jack's eyes were gaunt, multiple bags under his eyes. His irises were no longer a bright hazy blue, but a darker, dull blue and bloodshot.

Jack closed his eyes as he pulled the cigarette out of his mouth, blowing a puff of smoke into the air.

"Let's go," he spoke, his voice sounding a bit better this time around as he rubbed the end of the cigarette against the wall behind him.

"Are you sure you're ready? I-I don't want to push you," Piper said, her emerald eyes meeting his blue ones.

" _Y-Yes,"_ he hesitated as he slid his knife back into his boot. "I need to leave this place."

Jack looked down at his pip-boy, scrolling through it. "We're close to Diamond City. You might want to check in with Nat," he told her.

Piper nodded. "Let's get back to it."

/\/\/\/\

The walk back to Sanctuary was a quiet one.

Piper usually didn't mind a silent walk home, despite not liking silence in the first place. This time around, though, the silence worried her. Back in Diamond City, Jack had gone to Doctor Sun to get some supplies, and he hadn't spoken since they left the city. The only time he ever said anything was to warn her of incoming enemies. Every now and then, he would seem a little disorientated. Once he would regain his composure, he would lash out at the attackers, easily taking them down within seconds.

The two passed the Red Rocket, and Piper could see the bridge of Sanctuary. There was always a large hole in the bridge that proved to be quite annoying. Hopefully it would be repaired.

"Good to see you, General," the settler at the bridge began, saluting. "Good to see you, too, Ms. Wright."

Jack nodded before continuing forward, avoiding the hole.

"Hey, uh- by any chance can we get this bridge fixed? It surprising, nobody has made an effort to fix it for two-hundred years," Piper asked the settler, fiddling with her fingers.

"Not a problem. We'll get on that right away," the man replied before tilting his hat in a respectful manner. Piper traversed the bridge and caught up with Jack. He was standing by the river, staring off into it. She watched as he pulled off his jacket and then his shirt, dipping it in the water to clean the blood off. He laid the shirt down in the sun for it to dry before grabbing the sniper jacket and stomping off.

"What's wrong with the lad?" Cait questioned, lumbering over to Piper.

"He isn't having a good day," was all Piper said before she ran off to follow her Blue. He was already halfway to the home, the sniper jacket firmly gripped in his fist. Jack stepped up the wooden stairs and opened the door, walking in and holding the door open for her.

"Thanks," Piper mumbled under her breath as Jack shut the door behind her. Piper sat down on the couch, watching him as he threw the jacket down on the counter before sitting next to her.

"So… you wanted to talk?" Piper asked. He grabbed at the necklace that hung around his neck. Jack cleared his throat before speaking.

"Uh-yeah, yeah. Look, I know I've been acting kind of… weird lately. And this stress doesn't seem like it's going away at all. I made an effort at trying to calm myself down when we went out for breakfast, but look where that brought us," Jack explained. "And now I just feel like I'm drowning in a sea of stress, anxiety, and maybe a little bit of mental illness."

"What I did to those mercs? That wasn't normal. I don't know what I am turning into. I'm turning into a monster. Into a _murderer."_

Piper wasn't sure how to handle the situation. It wasn't like the last time; she couldn't just tell him everything would be alright.

"Maybe I am overreacting, maybe I'm not. But what I do know is something is not right in my mind," Jack continued to explain, his voice very broken and shaky. "For a long time, my own inner voice has turned against me. I-I've been letting myself slip. I've been letting my own thoughts take control of my actions. Ever since Dunwich, everything has been… off… and I have no idea what is wrong. I'm hoping… that maybe if I came to talk to you, I would feel better. That this weight would be lifted from my shoulders," Jack finished, sighing heavily.

Piper hugged the tired man next to him. He seemed to be a bit uncomfortable at first, but he softened into the hug. As the two pulled apart from the hug, Piper gripped her Blue's hand.

"Look, Blue, just know that no matter what you do, I will always love you. Remember that. I am always here for you. I may not know exactly what to do… like now… but I will be there to listen, alright?"

Her Blue nodded. "That felt good to get out in the air. I just don't know how to continue with that said."

"I have a suggestion," Piper began. "Let the next few days play out, alright? See if talking made a difference."

 _I hope this works. I hate seeing Jack so lost like this._

"That sounds… good," Jack sighed, looking over at her. "Thank you, Red. I mean it."

"And if you don't feel right in the next few days, please, _please, please_ come to me. We'll figure it out, I promise," Piper told him. "Now, it's been a rough couple of days. Get some rest. Tomorrow is another day."

/\/\/\/\

 _Get up, Johnny Boy, get up, Johnny Boy._

 _Get up 'cause the world has left you lyin' on the ground._

 _ **You're my pride and joy, you're my pride and joy.**_

 _Get up, Johnny Boy, because we all need you now._

 _We all need you now._

[-[-]-]

Jack opened his eyes to light shining in through the window.

Rubbing his tired eyes, he slowly stood up and grabbed his plaid shirt, pulling it over his head and around his muscular frame. Grabbing his pip-boy and strapping it to his arm, he looked at the time. _5:53am, January 27_ _th,_ _2288._

 _Perfect. Danse and Cait should be up._

Jack grabbed a handful of Sugar Bombs from Piper's stash of food and strolled outside to find the two. Everyone else was still asleep, but not Danse and Cait. The two would always exercise and train each morning together. It was about time Jack did some training with the two. As he stuffed the last Sugar Bomb into his mouth, he spotted them behind the house across from his old house. Danse was doing pushups, Cait sitting on top of his back.

"Come on, ya big loaf! You can do better than that!" Cait exclaimed. Danse unhappily grunted, but didn't stop.

"Ain't this a rare sight. Paladin Danse, out of his power armor," Jack joked as he approached the two. Cait hopped off of Danse's back, allowing him to stand up.

"Good morning, Knight. What are you doing up so early?" Danse asked as he stood up.

"Thought I'd come and join you. I don't get a lot of time to do stuff like this anymore," Jack explained.

"Well yer welcome to join, Jacky boy," Cait said.

"You guys up for sparring?" Jack questioned, a grin on his face.

"Of course," Danse responded.

"Come on, Jacky boy, ya know me better. I'm always up for some sparring, if it means kicking yer sorry arse," Cait told him, laughing a bit.

"Alright. Who's first?" Jack asked, cracking his knuckles and his neck.

"I'll go first," Danse volunteered.

The two stood in formation as Cait counted down from three.

"Spar!"

Danse went on the offensive, throwing multiple punches at Jack, who blocked every punch. Jack threw his own punch, to which Danse countered by grabbing his arm and pushing him away, launching him towards Cait's direction. A small growl escaped Jack's lips as he stopped himself from falling into Cait. Jack lunged towards Danse, finally landing a punch in his midsection. He could tell it knocked the wind out of him. While he was vulnerable, Jack took the advantage and rolled over his back, and then kicking him.

Danse caught himself before he could fall to the floor, and regained his balance swiftly. Danse ran at Jack, hoping to tackle him down to the ground. Instead, Jack slid out of the way and wrapped his arms around his stomach, picking him up over his shoulders and suplex-ing him.

"And it looks like Jack takes it!" Cait exclaims, her fist flying up into the air.

Standing up, Jack outstretched his hand to Danse, helping him back up onto his feet.

"I knew you were capable of fighting in a gunfight, but I never knew you were proficient in hand-to-hand combat. Your combat skills are outstanding," Danse told him. "Great job."

"Thank you, Danse. I appreciate it. Now, Cait, you want to go?"

"Mmm… let me at the tin can first. Ya ready to get beat by a girl, Danse?" Cait challenged him.

"Sure. I'd be willing to spar with you," Danse replied, getting into formation.

"Count us down, Jacky boy!" Cait exclaimed, also getting ready.

"3, 2, 1, spar!"

Jack felt arms creep around his midsection as Danse and Cait began to spar.

"Hey, Piper," Jack greeted her, smiling to himself.

"Hey, Blue," Piper began, her voice muffled from Jack's shirt. "What are you up to so early in the morning?"

"Training and stuff with Cait and Danse," Jack answered her, grabbing her hands. "I beat Danse in a round of sparring."

"And he's actually out of his power armor?" Piper inquired, peaking around Jack to see if she was right. "Wow. I never thought I'd see the day. This will be perfect for the next issue. 'Tin Can Paladin Danse Steps Out of his Armor for the First Time, has to Get Used to Life Outside of the Tin Can!'"

Jack laughed as Piper let go of him and stood next to him. "You feeling a bit better, yet?"

"I little bit. But like you said, it's going to take time. Hopefully this stress will go away," Jack answered her. As he shifted his gaze, he saw Cait standing proudly, one foot on top of the floored paladin, cackling. Danse did not look happy.

"Good job, Cait!" Jack called out, also laughing a bit to himself. The scene seemed so… serene. It was weird to see Cait smile. The rising sun made it all the more peaceful and calming. It was so weird to actually feel… calm again. Jack could feel another genuine smile creep up onto his face as Cait moved to let the paladin stand up. Danse huffed, crossing his arms in defeat.

Piper grabbed onto his arm, a smile spreading across her face as well.

"Yeah. I'm feeling better already."

* * *

 _I think the ending was fitting? I don't know, this chapter has been a mess in my mind. Please let me know what you think._

 _(The next chapters will expand more on Jack and that 'Ripper.')_

 _Hope you enjoyed._


	28. 28

_I say hey, I'll be gone today_

 _But I'll be back all around the way_

 _It seems like everywhere I go_

 _The more I see, the less I know._

 _But I know one thing, that_ _ **I love you.**_

 _ **I love you, I love you, I love you.**_

 _ **Say Hey (I Love You) – Michael Franti & Spearhead**_

[-[-]-]

Piper sat at her desk, typing away at the terminal.

She had been working on the new article for a few hours. The article in question was about her and Jack's experience at Dunwich Borers. Piper explained the quaking, the corrupt ownership, and even the face at the bottom of that pool of water. She still needed to "interview" Albany about the damn place; her input may be good to put in the article. Piper was really intrigued by the Borers. There just _had_ to be more behind it, but there just wasn't enough to go off of. Frustrated with the writer's block that she was slowly developing, Piper held her head in her hands as she read over what she had so far.

" _But the most worrying part about this treacherous quarry isn't the feral ghouls, or the mysterious stone head found in the water. Our beloved Vault Dweller, Jack Schmidt, experienced flashbacks while in the Borers. He has told us that the first flashback contained multiple workers and machinery, and the second flashback containing what seemed to be like a 'sacrificial ritual.'"_

" _We don't know if these things really happened or not, but we do know someone who may have some info on Dunwich Borers. You may know Albany Fisher, the Lone Wanderer. In the past, she has traveled to the Dunwich Building."_

Piper considered cutting out the part about Jack having the flashbacks. She was pretty sure that even Jack didn't know if it was his PTSD or not. _But if it wasn't his PTSD, then why would only he get the flashbacks?_ The question brought up even more questions than answers. Piper was genuinely worried about his wellbeing, considering his recent episode. She was unsure if the flashbacks were a figment of his tortured imagination, or if it had something to do with the Borers more than his mental state.

Suddenly, she felt the man of the hour's arms snake around her shoulders. Piper's lips formed into a smile as she looked up at Jack, who also seemed to have a smile on his face.

"Hey, I was just thinkin' about you," Piper said.

"Oh yeah? I hope you weren't thinking about how you would end up leaving me," Jack responded. His words worried Piper to no end.

"What? Why would I do that?"

"I dunno. One day you'd get sick and tired of my mental antics. Or finally figure out that I'm a mess," he choked out. His smile never left his face. _How long has he been thinking about that?_

"Blue," Piper began, sighing. "Don't go thinking like that. You know that there is no other place I'd rather be than by your side. And even if you are a mess, you're my mess, alright?"

"Heh, I don't know what the hell I did to deserve such a great person like you," her Blue stated as he pulled off her hat and kissed her on the head.

"Hey, that's my line," Piper said, turning around in her chair. "And give me my hat back!"

"Nope," Jack whistled, pulling the hat onto his head. "My hat now."

"C'mon, Blue! That's my thinking cap!" Piper noticed him humming as he fiddled with the hat. She couldn't tell what he was doing with it, but she knew she needed to get it back somehow.

He turned around, waving the press cap in the air. "You're gonna have to get it from me," he said, walking out the door of the bunker house. She stood up from her chair and chased after him.

Following him, he led her to his old house. By the time Piper got into the house, he was sitting at a desk in Shaun's old room, his feet kicked up on the desk.

"Can I have my hat back, now, Blue?" Piper asked, a hand on her hip.

"Come get it," her Blue sing-songed, a wry smile on his face. Piper approached the desk and reached for the hat as he held it out of her reach. As she balanced on one foot, still reaching for the hat, she fell over the desk and on top of Jack. He pressed his lips against hers as he put the hat back on her head. The two pulled away, and Piper stood up from the desk, wiping down her trench coat as if she had gotten it dirty.

"Uh-wow, uh," Piper stuttered, unable to get the proper words out of her mouth. She leaned her hand against the wall, regaining her composure. "B-Blue, did you d-do all of that just to get a kiss from me?"

Jack nodded. "Mhm. And it worked, didn't it?"

Piper sighed in defeat. "Y-Yeah. Next time I should just walk _around_ the desk," she said. "I mean, don't get me wrong, leaning over the desk is an _amazing idea."_

Jack laughed at her comment before rising from the desk and pulled Piper into another kiss. She reached her hand to his face and ran her thumb over his cheek as the kiss continued. Every time the two kissed, Piper would feel a rush of so many different, joyful emotions. She probably couldn't list them all if she tried. Jack leaned in further as Piper's hand moved behind his head, cradling the back of his skull, deepening the kiss. At some point, their tongues ended up getting involved. The two pulled apart for a moment before continuing the kiss.

Within moments, Piper's back was up against the wall, and Jack's hand leaning against the same wall near her head. His other hand was gently tucked underneath her chin. Piper occasionally got a whiff of his scent; leather, cologne he found in Vault 81, and tinge of Nuka-Cola. _God, I love his scent._

Finally, the two pulled apart, both breathless and speechless.

"Uh-heh, That was- uh," Jack couldn't stop himself from becoming a stuttering mess.

"Are ya… always this… articulate?" Piper spoke, out of breath and breathing a bit heavy.

"Can't believe you're using that o-old line," Jack muttered, confusing Piper.

"W-What?"

"O-Old pre-war m-movie had that l-line."

"G-Got it," Piper responded, walking out of the room and to the front door of the house, Jack following. As she turned her direction towards the bunker house, Hancock approached the two. He had a look of bewilderment on his face.

"Hey, uh, Piper?" Hancock spoke, his rough voice startling Piper a bit.

"Yeah?"

"Is that little card on your hat supposed to say 'cute?'" Hancock asked. Piper mouthed 'what?' to him, followed by Hancock pointing at her hat. Piper looked over at her Blue for a moment before swiftly pulling her hat off of her head.

Lo and behold, the card said, "CUTE" instead of "PRESS."

She tried to hide her faint smile as she slowly turned to Jack, who had a large grin on his face.

"BLUE!"

/\/\/\/\

Piper sat on the couch, reading a comic book with Jack's legs rested on her lap.

"Am I your footstool now?"

"Yes, but a comfortable footstool," Jack said, holding back laughter as he grabbed a bottle of Nuka-Cola from the table next to the couch.

Piper sighed, flipping the page. "You're lucky I love you. My legs are going numb as we speak," Piper told him. She didn't need to look over to know that he was smiling.

"I guess I am lucky," Jack replied. The two looked up as a knock was heard at the door. "I'll get it."

Jack opened the door to reveal one of the Minutemen standing there.

"General, do you have a minute?" asked the Minuteman.

"Uh, yeah," Jack answered, looking over at Piper momentarily. "Of course. What's on your mind?"

"We caught a radio signal from Vault 81," he began. "From what we've heard, it sounds like one of the dwellers has contracted a disease. Thought you might want to check it out?"

"Yeah, we can check it out. No problem," Jack answered. "We'll get on that in a bit."

"Wonderful. See you around, General," the Minuteman said before going off on his merry way. Jack turned back to Piper. She knew he was going to ask her.

"Blue, it's fine. As much as I do want to just lay around today with you, it's probably best that we go help those guys over at the Vault," Piper said.

"Are you sure, Red?"

"I am sure," she reassured him, standing up and planting a kiss on his cheek. "Ready to head out? For all we know, that 'disease' could already be killing people."

"You're right," Jack said, looking down. He grabbed his coat and slung his rifle over his shoulder. "Ready."

/\/\/\/\

 _I will carry all your_ _ **names**_ _and I will carry all your_ _ **shame**_

 _And I will carry all your_ _ **names**_ _and I will carry all your_ _ **shame**_

 _And I will carry all your_ _ **names**_ _and I will carry all your_ _ **shame**_

 _ **Johnny Boy – twenty one pilots**_

[-[-]-]

"Alright, Bobby. Bring us to the hidden entrance."

After a discussion with Dr. Penske, they had concluded that the disease was from mole rats, and that Bobby knew where they were all hiding. _This'll make an interesting article,_ Piper thought. _Well, if I ever get the other one done._ Poor Austin had gotten bit by one of the mole rats, and his health was declining quickly. Supposedly, there was a cure that they could find in this other section of the vault.

"It's right over here," Bobby said. "Be careful. You get bit, and the disease will spread to you."

"We'll be fine. Thank you, Bobby," Jack replied before unslinging his rifle. "Ready, Red?"

"Ready."

The two traversed through the many rooms of this "second vault." They nearly got bitten multiple times from all of the mole rats. They came across a locked terminal, which Jack made quick work of.

"Hmm. Looks like this vault had an experiment as well," Jack called out to Piper as she finished off a mole rat with a bullet to the head.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Vault 81 was to incubate diseases," Jack began, shifting as he scrolled down on the terminal entry. "They then try to develop a cure for it."

"So they wasted innocent lives to make a cure?" Piper asked.

"Mhm," Jack mumbled before coughing a few times. "Anything for science, I suppose."

"Hey, you alright?"

Jack coughed once more before responding. "Yeah. Just got some dust in my throat."

"Alright. If you need anything, just say the word."

"Got it."

The two continued through the secret vault, sending more rats to their death. They came across a locked room with a robot inside, staring through the window.

"Oh, another stranger!" the robot exclaimed. Its voice sounded feminine with an odd accent; Piper had never heard such a thick accent before, besides Cait and a few of the Diamond City guards. "Are you Vault-Tec Security? I've waited _so_ long for you to finally arrive."

"Who are you?" Jack asked, a look of bewilderment on his face.

"I am a Contagions Vulnerability Robotic Infirmary Engineer, or C.V.R.I.E," the robot explained. Piper had absolutely no clue what most of that meant. "The human scientists call me Curie. Or more properly, they called me this when they were alive. I repeat, are you Vault-Tec Security?"

"That doesn't matter. Can you just open the door, please?" Jack asked before coughing a few more times.

"There is a proper procedure to do this thing. I am pleased to report I completed my primary duties eighty-three years ago," _Eighty-three years? Goddamn._ "Thousands of pathogens were grown in the mole rat hosts. Then, a single broad spectrum cure was developed to treat them all. Very satisfying work for many decades. Now, please tell me you are authorized to release me from the lab."

"Yes, I'm authorized. Can you open the door, now?"

"Alright. I shall open the door for you," Curie said as she hovered over towards the door. Within a few seconds, the door slid open. Jack and the two stepped in through the door.

"Since you are a Vault-Tec representative, I entrust you with the broad spectrum cure I developed. If you have an equivalent to my digital Hippocratic oath, please use it quickly to prevent any undue suffering. However, be advised, there is only one dose left, and I can no longer make any more," Curie explained. "If that is all, I am most eager to leave."

"Thank you, Curie. Why not come with us?"

"Can I? There is so much to learn and see!" she exclaimed.

"Of course. Come on, we've got to give this to Austin."

[-[-]-]

The three emerged from the secondary vault and went to Dr. Forsythe, giving him the cure.

"You got it! Austin will be alright, thanks to you. Here's for your trouble," Forsythe told him, handing him a handful of caps.

"No need," Jack insisted, pushing his hand away. "Keep it."

"Are you sure?"

"I insist." Piper smiled at the scene. Every time he did such a generous thing, it warmed her heart and made her fall in love with him all over again. They followed Forsythe to Austin's room, and watched over him as he woke up after being given the cure.

"Woah… what happened?" Austin spoke as he sat up.

"Hey, be careful, Austin," Jack spoke as he knelt down in front of him. "You got bit by a mole rat and got really sick. Luckily, we got the cure for you in time."

"Thank you, mister!" Austin exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around Jack's neck. It took him a moment to finally hug him back.

"Alright, Austin. Curie, Piper and I have to go. You stay away from that second vault, alright?"

"Yep!"

"Good. Take care, Austin."

As the group left the vault, Piper grabbed onto his hand. "You're too sweet, y'know that?"

Jack coughed into his free fist before answering her. "Can't be as sweet as you." He coughed more as he finished his sentence.

"Is there something wrong, monsieur?" Curie asked, hovering over to Jack.

"N-No, f-fine," he muttered as he coughed into his elbow.

"Blue, you aren't lookin' so good," Piper said, tugging on his hand. "Come on, sit down."

"I s-said I'm f-fine," Jack snarled, but sat down anyways, giving into his weakness. Within a few seconds, Jack had passed out on the ground.

"Come on, Blue, stay with me," Piper begged as she lightly tapped Jack's cheek, trying to get him to wake up. " _Blue."_

"We need to get him to a doctor immediately," Curie said.

"No shit," Piper growled in frustration. "Curie, can you do anything to help him?"

"Med-X and stimpacks would be appropriate to treat any pain he may be experiencing, but we need to get to a proper doctor," Curie explained. Piper nodded and shoved two stimpacks into his chest, and gave him some Med-X. After doing so, Piper stood up and paced the floor, thinking about what she would do. _I got it!_

"Curie, I need help getting him to Diamond City. It's nearby. Can you help me pick him up?" Piper asked.

"Sure, madam!"

Slowly, the two got the unconscious man on his feet. Piper wrapped his arm around her shoulders and neck, while Curie supported his other side with her robotic arms. They both carried him all the way to Diamond City, stopping every now and then, and got him to Doctor Sun.

"Mole rat disease? Oh boy," the doctor said. "It cannot be cured with just any kind of drug, I'm afraid."

"Then what is it we need?" Piper exclaimed, her fists curled. _I am NOT losing him._

"You need this list of items," Sun explained, handing her a paper with multiple words scribbled onto it. "If you can bring those back, I can make a cure similar to the one your robot friend made, and with a hint of luck, it might cure him from the disease. Are you able to do that, Piper?"

"Anything," Piper began. "Anything to save him."

"Good. I will stay by his side while you are gone."

"And I will help Doctor Sun," Curie volunteered.

"Thank you, guys. I really appreciate it," Piper thanked them. "Give me a moment, and then I'll head out." Piper stepped inside Sun's office and over to Jack's bedside. Bending over, she kissed him on the forehead and gripped his hand tightly.

"Don't worry, Blue. I'll be back. I promise."

With that, Piper left and set out to find the ingredients, the list in her balled up fist.

* * *

 _Writing kissing scenes is weird._


	29. 29

_We're one chapter away from thirty! Also, the day I started writing this (August 30_ _th_ _) is the two-month anniversary of this fanfic! Woo!_

/\/\/\/\

Piper slung her backpack over her shoulder before looking down at the list that she held in her hand. It wasn't a long list, but some of the items would be harder to find.

 _-Glowing Fungus x2_

 _-Melon Blossom x2_

 _-Mole Rat Teeth x5_

 _-Stimpack x10_

 _-Vodka x1_

She began to make a mental list inside her head as to how she would get everything. _I can get the vodka from Vadim once I get back… Jack will probably have the stimpacks, and I'm sure Sanctuary has some of the melon blossoms. Hopefully I'll be able to find some mole rats and that glowing fungus._

As she stepped outside the wall, Piper pulled out her 10mm pistol, ready for anything. She needed to be as quick as she could; Jack didn't look too good back at Doctor Sun's. Piper took a deep, shallow breath before continuing. She probably wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she was legitimately scared about this entire thing, more for Jack than for herself. Sure, he had been in worse situations before and got out alright, but Piper couldn't help letting the pessimistic thoughts get to her.

 _What if this is it?_ Piper couldn't begin to fathom how she would be able to survive without her Blue if he was gone. Piper rubbed her eyes with the palm of her free hand and began hiking away from the wall. _Get your head on straight. As long as you find these ingredients, Jack will be fine._

 _I hope._

/\/\/\/\

"Hello, Ms. Wright! I-uh, where is Sir Jack?"

"Hey, Codsworth," Piper greeted the butler robot. "He, uh- well, you know about Vault 81, right?"

"Of course!"

"Well, uh-" Piper sighed, hating to be the bearer of bad news. "There was a disease outbreak, don't know if you heard. We saved the kid, Austin, but uh… Blue, he's, uh, he contracted the disease. I'm collecting the stuff for the cure."

"By Jove, I do hope you find the ingredients alright. Is there anything you need, Ms. Wright?" Codsworth asked, his motors whirring.

"Yeah, uh, I need two melon blossoms and some glowing fungus. Got any idea as to where I can get some? I assume there's some melon blossoms around here somewhere."

"Ah yes, there's some in the farm! I don't think the farmers would mind. As for the glowing fungus… If my memory serves me right, there may be some at the Medford Memorial Hospital. The sir and I traveled there not too long after he exited the vault," Codsworth explained. "If you do intend on going there, please do be careful."

"Don't worry about me, Codsworth. I'll be fine," Piper told him. "Thank you."

Walking over to the farm, Piper bent down and grabbed the melon blossoms before pulling out her pen and crossing it off the list.

"One down, four to go," she mumbled as she stood back up and headed towards the Sanctuary bridge, putting the blossoms into her backpack and stuffing the list into her coat pocket. _Next stop, Medford Hospital._

As she reached Concord, Piper could hear scurrying behind her. She swiftly turned around, pistol in hand, yet there was nothing there. Confused, Piper shrugged it off and turned around, continuing into Concord, yet the sounds were still coming from behind. She turned around once more and fired a few shots, only to realize that whatever was screwing with her mind was gone.

"I must be going out of my mind. Like I haven't already," Piper mumbled, scratching her head before turning back around to see a giant mole rat standing in front of her.

"Jesus Christ!" Piper shouted, shooting at random, hoping one of her bullets would reach the damn rat. The mutated animal dodged the bullets and jumped at her, causing Piper to almost shoot herself in the foot. Eventually, she killed the damn thing. It kept jumping around, making it hard for her to actually kill it.

Bending over, Piper grabbed the mole rat, making a disgusted noise as she opened its mouth. She yanked on its teeth, pulling out five and putting them in her pocket with the list. _Two down, three to go._

"Eugh, I am never doing that again," Piper thought out loud as she stood up and continued through Concord.

Remembering that there were often raiders in this area, Piper crouched down behind a barricade in the road, peering over it to check her surroundings. Sure enough, there were about four raiders all huddled around a fire, laughing and chatting.

Piper pulled out her rifle, aiming at the head of one of the raiders, and firing.

The bullet just grazed the raider's shoulder. She could hear the shouts of the raider as they stood up, gripping their shoulder.

"What the- God, this hurts like a bitch!" the female raider yelled, grabbing their pipe pistol off the ground. The other raiders raced to grab their weapons, firing in Piper's direction. The bullets lodged themselves in the stone barricade, some grazing the top.

Resting the rifle on top of the barricade, Piper shot back, hitting a raider in the leg and another in the stomach. She never had an amazing aim like her Blue did, so she was surprised when she eventually shot a raider square in the face. They fell backwards, their screams of pain tapering off.

Piper hated hearing the screams of agony that would escape the throats of raiders. Every time, it would send chills down her spine and make her _almost_ feel bad for killing them. _They're just trying to survive._ After living in the Commonwealth for all her life, she thought she'd get used to it.

Jack hadn't been in the Commonwealth for too long, and he was already numb to their screams, despite him voicing his concern about the topic. _Why is he-_

Piper's thoughts were interrupted by a loud shot coming from her left. She dove out of the way, dodging the shot. _That sounded like a sniper._ Piper reloaded her combat rifle and fired back, trying to kill the attacker to no avail. She turned her attention to a raider running towards her, box cutter in hand. The raider lunged at Piper. The raider got close enough to slice open Piper's leg.

"Son of a-" Piper mumbled as she hit the raider in the head with the butt of her rifle, knocking them out. Before she knew it, Piper heard another loud shot ring out and felt pain in her shin. She groaned in pain as she realized she had just been shot by that sniper. She leaned up against the nearby truck and fired back. After multiple shots, the sniper slumped over the railings of the building, their gun falling to the ground. She rushed over to the weapon, loading ammo into it and shot at the other raiders, successfully killing them.

Piper leaned up against the wall of the building, trying to catch her breath. Pulling out one of her last stimpacks, she injected it into her leg. She slid down the wall, sitting down on the ground. _I hope Jack is doing alright._

/\/\/\/\

 _Scared of my_ _ **own image**_ _, scared of my_ _ **own immaturity**_

 _Scared of my_ _ **own ceiling**_ _, scared I'll die of_ _ **uncertainty**_

 _ **Fear**_ _might be the death of me,_ _ **fear leads to anxiety**_

 _Don't know what's inside of me._

 _/_

 _ **Temperature i**_ _s dropping,_ _ **temperature**_ _is dropping_

 _I'm not sure if I can see this ever stopping_

 _Shaking hands with the_ _ **dark parts of my thoughts**_ _, no_

 _ **You're all the I've got, no.**_

 _ **Doubt – twenty one pilots**_

 _/_

 _I've got two faces,_ _ **Blurry's the one I'm not**_ _._

 _I've got two faces,_ _**Blurry's the one I'm not.**_

 _I need your help to take him out._

 _ **Goner – twenty one pilots**_

[-[-]-]

A white room. That's all Jack could see. _What is this place?_

Jack turned around to see another man before him. The man had almost every same feature as Jack, right down to the bags under his eyes and the fading scars. He wore that damned black sniper jacket; the one Jack didn't dare to touch since his previous episode. Jack reached for his pistol on his hip, only to find his weapon wasn't where it should be. Looking back up, his eyes met with the man that looks so close to him. His eyes were a deeper blue and there was just something unsettling about his gaze.

Other Jack smiled wickedly, laughing silently as the two swapped gazes.

" _This isn't real,"_ Jack whispered. _"You aren't me."_

" _I am you,"_ Other Jack snarled. _"We need to come to our senses. We aren't going to be able to keep ourselves together for much longer."_

" _We?"_

" _We,"_ Other Jack answered. " _You may think I'm not a part of you. But I'm always there. And I always will be. I was there every time you ended the life of a Chinese soldier without hesitation. No matter how hard you try to get me out of your head, I'll always be there. Sometimes with more of an influence than other times."_

" _What are you, anyways?"_ Jack asked.

" _I'm The Ripper. I'm your dark thoughts. I am your insecurities. I'm everything you strive not to be. And if you don't embrace the fact that I am here, you will not be pleased with the outcome,"_ The Ripper explained. " _You can't defeat me. You can only tolerate me. You need to accept me, embrace that I am here. I'll never go away."_

The Ripper reached out, and before Jack knew it, his hands were wrapped around his throat. _"Make a decision before everything catches up to you; before you drown, suffocate in yourself."_

All of a sudden, the hands on his throat were gone and he was in a bed, Curie and Doctor Sun standing beside his bed. He sat up as quickly as the nightmare ended. _Breathe in, breathe out. It was just a dream. You're fine._ Jack reached a hand to his neck, lightly grabbing at it. Most of the black paint on his neck had already wiped away.

"Monsieur! How are you feeling?" Curie asked.

 _I feel like shit._ "I could be better," Jack replied, coughing into his elbow. _Wait…_ "Where's Piper?"

"She went out to get the ingredients for the cure," Doctor Sun answered, grabbing some Med-X and injecting it into Jack's wrist vein.

"What? How long has it been?" Jack questioned the doctor.

"Quit moving, you're going to screw up the injection. She went out a day and a half ago," Sun explained.

"Oh god," Jack breathed out, his voice full of worry. He feared the worst. "If she doesn't come back, this is all your fault." Jack felt anxiety and a hint of anger burn in his chest.

"Calm down," the doctor said. "Right now, you need to worry about yourself. The mole rat disease is very deadly if not treated with extreme caution and care."

Jack wanted to grab the damn doctor by the throat. He resisted the urge to do so. He sighed in defeat, and let Sun do what he needed to do.

 _It's your fault if she doesn't come back, you know._

/\/\/\/\

Piper ducked behind a wall, shooting at the super mutants.

She hated super mutants with a burning passion, but couldn't help feeling a bit bad for them at the same time. Her Blue had told her once that these mutants were once humans, and were experimented on with the FEV virus, turning them into what they are now. But at the moment, Piper felt no sympathy for the damned creatures, as they were trying to kill her.

A grenade flew past her head and landed behind her. Piper swiftly grabbed it and threw it back, blowing up as it hit the mutant she was aiming for. One came running towards her, and Piper fired multiple shots into the mutant's stomach. The mutant fell with a thud. Grabbing the sniper rifle that was slung over her shoulder, she aimed at the head of one of the mutants and fired twice, both shots hitting. The last mutant shouted and began firing randomly, doing no good. Piper ran into the room, firing wildly. The last mutant fell to the ground, multiple bullet holes scattered across it's body.

"I am _good,_ " Piper whispered to herself as she stepped over the fallen mutants. In the corner of the room, Piper eyed something glowing. _Yes!_ As she approached it, she bent over and picked the glowing fungus, stuffing it into her backpack. _Two to go. Now I need to head back to Diamond City._

/\/\/\/\

Piper smiled as she stepped into the safety and security of Diamond City.

Despite the situation she was in, she felt calm again. Diamond City was always a busy place. People would always be rushing throughout the city. She missed the constant sound of the large city. Piper had finally gotten used to the silence of Sanctuary. She hated being in such silence after living in DC for so long. Silence was one of the things that made her extremely uncomfortable, yet somehow, she had gotten used to it. Still, it felt nice to be back in the big city. It gave her a sense of peace; something you don't find a lot of.

Piper got so caught up into the sounds of Diamond City that she completely disregarded the shouting coming from a man in the market. As she got closer, she realized it was Jack. His fists were balled up, and his eyes had turned a deep blue. Piper was fascinated at how his eye color could change every now and then. Doctor Sun was shouting back at him while three guards joined in the argument.

"I _need_ to find her! She could be in serious fucking trouble for all we know!" her Blue shouted.

"What you need to do is rest! If you don't rest, that disease will kill you, Jack!" Sun argued with him. "Piper should be back soon with everything we need, alright?! She will be fine!"

 _Oh, Blue,_ Piper thought. _Always worrying about everything else except yourself._ Her Blue looked towards her direction for a split second before looking back towards Doctor Sun, ready to argue back. Jack must have realized it was her when he took a second glimpse. He ran towards her and threw his arms around Piper, sighing in relief.

"Piper, dear god, are you alright?" Jack breathed out.

"Blue, calm down. I'm fine," Piper reassured him. "Sun is right; you need to rest. I need to get something from Vadim."

"Fine. If you insist," Jack said before letting go of her. "I… uh, I got worried for a second there, heh…"

"Jack," Piper began, grabbing his hand. "I'm fine. You don't need to worry."

"Well, I do worry," Jack said, before coughing into his elbow.

"Go back to Doctor Sun's. I'll be there in a few minutes, alright?"

Jack nodded. "Alright."

Piper smiled as she watched him walk away. _God, I love that man._ She hurried down to the Dugout Inn, paid the vodka, and hurried back to Doctor Sun's place.

"You're back. Did you get everything we need, Piper?" the doctor asked.

"Yep. Blue, do you have ten stimpacks?" Piper asked Jack, turning towards him.

"Mhm," he mumbled before grabbing his bag, pulling out the stimpacks and handing them to Doctor Sun. Piper pulled the backpack off of her shoulders and handed him the ingredients, along with this list. She watched as Sun mixed together the cure, and inject it into Jack's vein.

"Just relax," Sun said. "The cure will start doing what it needs to surely enough. For now, you need to relax."

"Thanks, doc," Piper said. "I really appreciate it… _We_ both appreciate it."

"Anytime, Piper."

As the doctor walked away, Piper pulled up a chair next to Jack's bed. He had already fallen asleep. She grabbed his hand, lacing her fingers with his and leaning her head on his shoulder. "Love ya, Blue."

* * *

 _What did you guys think? Did I portray the whole Ripper scene well?_


	30. 30

_Woah chapter thirty? Dear god._

 _THIS IS A GORE WARNING AND A MENTAL ILLNESS WARNING YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED_

 _ALSO: This chapter is going to most likely be the last chapter of this week. High school starts back up again on Wednesday. So here is how everything will play out:  
I am going to post one chapter a week, most likely on the weekends. I'll probably start writing on Friday nights and upload on Saturdays. So if I don't post a chapter every other day, you know why._

 _Okay, I've rambled enough. Onto the chapter. Enjoy._

/\/\/\/\

 _Just one more time before I go_

 _I'll let you know_

 _That all this time I've been_ _ **afraid, wouldn't let it show**_

 _Nobody can save me now, no_

 _ **Nobody can save me now.**_

 _Stars are only visible in darkness_

 _ **Fear**_ _is ever-changing and evolving_

 _And I have been_ _ **poisoned inside**_

 _But I, I feel so_ _ **alive**_

 _ **Battle Cry – Imagine Dragons**_

[-[-]-]

Jack leaned up against the wall as he watched Doctor Sun wrap a bandage around Piper's shin.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me you got fucking _shot._ Actually no, I take that back. I do believe it," Jack joked as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Shush," Piper retorted, shaking her head.

"He's right, you know," Curie said, her French accent so strong that Jack almost couldn't understand her. "In these days, it is very important to inform someone if you have been injured, even with a small cut. Radiation can be very harmful if it has gotten into any open wounds."

Piper shook her head again. "I know, I know. I was just worried about Jack. I wasn't thinking straight."

The room went quiet as Sun injected a stimpack into Piper's shin. "I would kiss the man who invented stims," Piper admitted as she stood up.

Jack smiled. "What if I told you I was the man who invented stimpacks?" he joked once more. Jack noticed Piper's face go a bit red.

"Stop it. We both know I'd kiss you even if you didn't invent them," Piper said, mumbling the last part under her breath as she pulled her hat down in front of her face.

"Huh? What was that?" Jack teased, cupping his hand around his ear. Piper, in response, lightly punched him in the shoulder.

"Anyways, thanks again, Doc. We should probably be heading out," Piper thanked him.

"No problem," the doctor replied.

"C'mon, Curie. Let's go," Jack said, opening the door.

"You still wish for me to accompany you?" Curie asked.

"Yeah. At least until we get to Sanctuary. We could use a medical bot like you," Jack explained.

"Wonderful!" Curie exclaimed, her motors whirring.

"Alright. Let's go."

/\/\/\/\

"Pickman Gallery. Heard of this place before," Jack said, approaching the red door. The silence sent chills down Jack's spine.

"You sure you want to be around here, Blue? This place gives me the creeps," Piper asked.

"Yeah. I'm sure," Jack replied. "Hey, uh, Curie?"

"Yes, monsieur?" Curie asked him. "What is it that you need?"

"Do you mind heading back to Sanctuary?"

"Not at all, monsieur. Where is this 'Sanctuary?'" Curie questioned. Jack went to the map on his pip-boy and showed Curie before she went off on her merry way.

"You think she'll be alright getting back?" Piper inquired, nudging Jack with her elbow.

"Yeah, she should be fine. She is a Miss Nanny after all," Jack explained. "Come on, I'm curious as to what's inside."

The door made an unsettling creaking noise as the two stepped into the building. The smell in the room nearly triggered Jack's gag reflexes.

"Ugh, god. Whatever is making that smell needs to seek medical attention, immediately," Piper commented.

As Jack turned the corner, his jaw dropped at what he saw. There was a pile of bodies sitting in the middle of the room, steaks sticking out of the pile with heads on top of them.

"Piper- ugh, I think they're past needing medical attention," Jack said, almost gagging on his words as he pulled Piper over to show her the scene.

" _Oh my god…_ This is just… sick," Piper spoke, slightly muffled from her fist that was in front of her mouth. "Are these paintings abstr- oh, oh god. Even the paintings are sick."

Jack grabbed Piper's wrist and pulled her out of the room. "I can't stand being in there anymore," Jack admitted, stepping up the stairs.

"Me neither," Piper agreed as she followed him. Jack crouched down and pulled out his silence pistol as he heard someone talking. He listened into the conversion.

"This Pickman guy is fucked up," one of them said.

"Yeah… the man must have some serious screws loose in that head of his to paint something with someone's blood."

Jack felt his stomach twist in knots as he peered around the corner of the room and shot both of them, right in the head. As he stood up, an intense wave of vertigo overcame him. _Killer,_ his inside voice sing-songed. _Why the hell are you back?_ Jack shook his head. No, this wasn't right. He was doing just fine, and now it's back again. _Did ya forget about that little dream?_ The memory of the dream flooded into his mind. Every time Jack blinked, he could see The Ripper standing in front of him in that white room, wicked smile and piercing eyes.

Luckily, Piper was there to pull him out of fucked up mental process. "You alright?"

"Y-Yeah, fine," Jack lied, coughing into his elbow. He wasn't fine. He was so very far from fine at this point.

"Alright," Piper replied. "You need anything, let me know." _How could you lie to her?_

The two eventually reached the third and final floor of the building. Jack snuck up behind a raider standing in the middle of the room and snapped his neck. The raider fell over with a thud as Jack stood up, noticing the hole in the wall. He stepped through the hole, ducking his head as he did so. He followed the pipe that led down, and into the basement of the gallery.

"Blue," Piper began. "Are you really sure you're alright? Your shaking all over."

Jack looked down at his hands. They were uncontrollably shaking. "I'll be fine, really," Jack answered her as he grabbed his left hand with his right, trying to stop it from shaking. He didn't even notice that he was shaking. He took a deep breath before continuing. As the two progressed further, they could hear soft singing, and it got louder the closer they got.

" _O beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain. For purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain. America, America, God shed his grace on thee. And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea."_

Jack knew the song the moment the masculine voice started singing. He recognized it as the old tune _America the Beautiful._ The perfect singing gave him goosebumps, followed by a shiver.

" _O beautiful for pilgrim feet, whose stern impassion'd stress. A thoroughfare for freedom beat, across the wilderness. America, America, God mend thine ev'ry flaw. Confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law."_

"What the hell is that singing?" Piper whispered.

Jack knew who it was. "Pickman," was all he growled. He could feel terror, anxiety, and rage build in his chest. Something was messing with him, and Jack needed to know what the hell it was before he lost his mind.

" _O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife, who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life. America, America, may God thy gold refine. Till all success be nobleness, and ev'ry gain divine."_

The pair eventually reached the room where Pickman resided. Jack looked down, watching the scene. Pickman stood in the middle of the room, still singing with a knife in his hand. Three raiders circled him, guns all trained on him. _End the raiders. End their worthless lives._

" _O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years. Thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears. America, America, God shed his grace on thee. And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea."_

"Pickman, your time is up!" one of the raiders shouted.

The man in questioned chuckled softly. "Oh, Slab. Always one to be… direct, yes?"

"Shut up, you crazy psychopath!"

"I am a fully functioning sociopath, my friend. There is a difference," Pickman corrected him, turning around slowly to face the raiders. He wore a tan suit with a red tie, his expression on his face rather unsettling. Jack dropped down from the ledge, landing behind the raiders with a thud. Piper jumped down next to him, pistol trained on one of the raiders. The three raiders slowly turned around, staring at Jack. At that moment, something inside his fucked up brain snapped as the leading raider, supposedly named Slab, laughed.

"Ha, who are you? You come to take us out? You don't look like much," Slab teased. A wicked smile formed across Jack's face as he cracked his neck. Piper gripped his hand tightly, to which he shook off her hand. A low growl escaped his lips. He grabbed one of the raiders by the throat, pulling out his knife and stabbing the raider multiple times in the stomach and chest. As he threw the raider to the ground, the other two's expressions had turned to an expression of horror.

"What the fuck?" the other raider swore, backing away. "I gotta get outta here!

Before the raider even had the chance to leave, Jack threw his knife at the raider. It hit him straight in the head. The raider fell to the ground with a thump. Realizing his mistake, Slab also ran for the door. Jack caught him by the back of his armor, and pulled him down to the floor. Jack stood over the raider, grabbing him once more by his chest piece. He head-butted the raider, knocking him out.

Pickman clapped as Jack slowly rose. "Impressive. Thanks for saving me there, _Killer._ "

The second Jack heard the name he gave him, he felt as if everything around him was burning. He felt his sanity start to slip and everything else with it. He stood there for a moment, gripping his head before throwing a punch at Pickman. Surprisingly, the man, no, monster had fast reflexes. He caught Jack's fist with his other hand folded behind his back. Pickman slowly bent his arm, causing Jack to fall to his knees in front of him. He watched as Piper raised her pistol at him, to which the sociopath knocked it out of her hands and did the same thing to her; grabbing her arm and bending it, forcing her to fall to her knees.

"Nuh-uh-uh, _Killer._ We're on the same sides, here. We both have something in common," Pickman said. His voice was extremely calm in an unsettling way. Jack could hear Piper struggling to release his grip on her arm.

His voice was a mere growl by now. "What would that be?" Jack hissed.

"We're both a little messed up in the head, am I right? You murder those who get in your way. I murder people and use their blood as paint. We're both screwed up," Pickman answered him.

"I am not like you, Pickman," Jack spat, trying to ignore the fact that the sociopath standing before him was _right._ Out of all the lies Jack had told himself, that one was the least convincing. Jack was slipping, whether he liked to admit it or not. _You can't defeat me. You can only tolerate me. You need to accept me, embrace that I am here. I'll never go away._ The words the Ripper spoke in his dream lingered in Jack's mind.

 _I'm your dark thoughts. I am your insecurities. I'm everything you strive not to be. And if you don't embrace the fact that I am here, you will_ not _be pleased with the outcome._

Jack was slowly becoming just that; his dark thoughts, his insecurities, everything he tried not to be.

 _You need to accept that I'm here. Then you'll be able to tolerate me,_ his inner voice nagged. _Bastard. You thought you could hide from yourself. Heh. But you always have, haven't you?_

 _You're just a killer._

 _A murderer._

 _When were you ever_ not _a monster?_

With all of the nagging negativities in Jack's head, he ripped free of Pickman's grip, his throat burning with a loud growl. Piper scrambled behind him to grab her pistol. Jack grabbed onto Pickman by the collar of his tan suit and pushed him up against the wall out of blind rage.

"I am _not_ like you. We are two different beings, two different entities," Jack growled. "You are _sick,_ Pickman."

The sociopath did nothing but smile wickedly. "Don't lie to yourself, _Killer._ I know about you and your struggles, your rampages, your anger. Let it out."

Jack looked down at the ground before letting the man go. "Come on, Piper. We're leaving."

"You're not going to kill him?" Piper asked.

"No."

"Hey. Take this key before you go," Pickman spoke, handing him a key. Jack took it reluctantly. "Head back up the main room. One of my paintings has a safe in there. It's all yours. See you around… _Killer."_

Jack and Piper exited the room, taking the ladder to the right. The building was silent apart from the creak the floor made with every step they took. Jack searched the painting room, pulling each painting off and then replacing it until he found the safe. Unlocking it with the key Pickman had given him, he opened it to reveal a knife, a piece of paper, and some ammunition. The letter read, " _Thanks, Killer,"_ followed by a heart made out of blood.

He crumpled up the piece of paper and shoved it into his pocket as he pulled the knife out of the safe. The blade was as black as Jack's glove, with the word _Killer_ engraved into it. Pulling out his other knife, Jack compared the two engravings. _How the hell did Pickman get it so perfect?_

Sighing in frustration, Jack slid his old knife into his combat boot and put the new one in his bag. As he walked out the door, he felt Piper's fingers lace together with his. Despite everything that had just happened, he felt somewhat calm as her grip on his hand tightened.

/\/\/\/\

 _Here I come, again to you_

 _Just to show that_ _ **blood soaked through**_

 _Through my bones and all I own_

 _ **Is there a way for me to grow?**_

 _I walk to you_

 _Rain falls from you_

 _Can you, wash me?_

 _Can you,_ _ **drown**_ _me?_

 _ **Please?**_

 _ **Drown – Tyler Joseph**_

[-[-]-]

Piper looked over at the calendar. _February Fifth._ The sixth on the calendar was marked with a small, red heart on it. _Shit, I almost forgot._ The sixth was Jack and Piper's one-month anniversary of being together, and Piper had almost forgotten. She cursed herself as she sat down next to Jack on the couch. Piper could tell that the encounter with Pickman had put him on edge, and hopefully relaxing would get his mind off of it. She leaned her head on his shoulder and gripped his hand, fiddling with his fingers as they sat in silence. He jumped a bit at the contact, but softened into it shortly after.

"Jack?"

"Hmm?" Jack mumbled in response.

"Love you," Piper whispered, squeezing his hand.

"Love you too, Piper."

Sitting up, Piper leaned in and gave Jack a quick kiss on the lips, to which he returned it. He covered his face with his hands as he shifted on the couch, sighing before pulling his hands away. She could see he was stressing out again. Piper reached out her hand and gently ran her fingers through his hair. He mumbled something Piper couldn't quite understand before standing up and pacing the floor.

"Blue, are you alright? Is something up?" Piper asked, a concerned look on her face. He laughed to himself as he continued to pace. His laugh wasn't his usual, genuine laugh he always had, but an empty, hollow laugh.

"Yeah! Yeah, I am _totally fine,"_ her Blue replied. She could sense some sarcasm in his tone of voice. "No, Piper. I'm _not_ fine. Everything Pickman said was true, you know? I've been lying to myself and everyone around me for as long as I can remember about my mental state. So no, Piper. I am so very _far_ from okay."

Piper didn't know how she could respond to his sudden outburst. "Blue, It's okay-"

"No, it's not okay, you see? Every time you asked me if I was alright, I lied. I'm a liar. I was never fine in the first place, and I don't think I ever will be. You see, I have this… darker side of me inside my head. It calls itself 'The Ripper,'" Jack began again, using air quotes. "It's everything I'm trying not to be, but I'm slipping, you see, Piper? I'm slipping, I'm falling away, I'm becoming that… that _monster_ that waits inside my fucked up skull. I'm not who you see before you, Piper. Not anymore. Something snapped inside my head, you know? When Pickman called me _Killer_ , I realized something. That a killer is all I am. And it's all I have been. That Ripper has been there forever. And I'm becoming it."

"Jackson, stop," Piper said, her voice calm as she stood up and put a hand on his chest. She tried to mask the worry in her voice. She had seen him break down like this before, but not in the same way.

"No. Because I won't stop. My brain won't let myself stop until I let myself become that. And I'm scared, Piper. I haven't let it show for so long because of the fear that I would hurt those around me. And now, I'm becoming something I never wanted. You know what would have been better? If Kellogg had shot me, too. Hell, it would have been better if he just left us all there to freeze to death. None of this would have happened if he had just let me die, you know?"

"Listen to me. You are the best goddamn thing that has happened to this world! Don't be like this, Blue!" Piper begged him. Her Blue just shook his head.

"Nah. No. Look at me. Is this really what you want? Someone who can't handle his fucking mental illness to save his life? Someone who is so unbelievably fucked up and lost to the point where they end up murdering people because of it? Because I know. I know, people don't enjoy hanging around others with the kind of problems I have. It was the same way before those damned bombs. Nobody _cared_ about the people with mental illnesses. They just left them to drown in their mental problems."

Piper grabbed onto his flannel shirt by the collar. "Jackson, you listen to me. Please, just hear me out," she began, wiping one of her eyes. _God, when the hell did I start crying?_ "You are the most important damn thing in my life. I'm not going to let you speak so horribly about yourself. Jackson Schmidt, I will love you no matter what the hell happens. So stop, please, because you mean so much more to me than you really know." Piper had buried her face in his chest at some point.

"It hurts, Piper. So much. I'm tired, so, so tired. Don't you understand? I can't do this anymore, I can't keep holding it all inside," Jack spoke, his voice breaking up. He sounded as if he too was trying to hold back threatening tears.

"Don't _you_ understand? It hurts for me, too, Jackson! If you struggle, I struggle with you. We work through it _together."_

"That's thing, isn't it, Piper? Everything that happens to me affects you, too. If I let myself slip further in your presence, I don't want to know what would happen," Jack said, his voice small and broken. "I'm unstable, Piper. I really didn't want it to get this far… I didn't want to do this."

The anxiety that had built inside Piper's chest became stronger, threatening to suffocate her. "Blue… you don't mean…"

"Yes. I can't stay, Piper. I need to leave. I need to find myself again, become stable. If it wasn't for me, none of this would have happened. This wasn't supposed to happen," her Blue admitted, staring back into her emerald green eyes. "I'm sorry."

All rational thought left her mind as her Blue grabbed his bag and went for the door. "Blue, please, stay. We can fix this."

Without turning around, he said, "Are you really proud of what I've become, Piper? Because God knows I'm not."

"Is there anything I could say to make you stay here so we can work this out, Jack?" Piper called out, rubbing her eye with her hand.

"Maybe. Perhaps there are enough words in the English language that you could string together to make me stay. But know that you're better off not trying," Jack told her, stepping out the door. "Come on, Dogmeat. We need to go."

As the door swung close, Piper wished with all of her heart that he would turn around and walk back in. She even reached to open the door, but stopped herself. _I shouldn't have let him walk through that door._ Why didn't she go after him? Even she didn't know the answer to her own question. She was supposed to be there for him, and yet, in his darkest hour, Piper couldn't even force herself to go after him.

* * *

 _I had some doubts about the second half of this, so I hope you liked it._


	31. 31

_This song below perfectly describes Jack and his struggles and it's so good I recommend listening to it. (Bring a box of tissues tho)_

 _I try desperately to run through the sand as I hold the water in the palm of my hand_

 _Cause it's_ _ **all that I have**_ _, and_ _ **it's all that I need**_ _and the waves of the water mean_ _ **nothing**_ _to me_

 _But I try my best and all that I can to hold tightly onto what's left in my hand_

 _But no matter how, how tightly I will strain,_ _ **the sand will slow me down and the water will drain**_

 _ **I'm just being dramatic, in fact, I'm only at it again as an addict with a pen who's addicted to the wind**_

 _As it blows me back and forth, mindless, spineless and pretend_

 _Of course I'll be here again_

 _See you tomorrow but it's the end of today, end of my ways_

 _ **As a walking denial, my trial was filed as a crazy suicidal head case**_

 _ **But you specialize in dying.**_

 _ **You hear me screaming, "Father,"**_

 _ **And I'm lying here just crying so wash me with your water.**_

 _ **Water**_

 _ **Addict with a Pen – twenty one pilots**_

[-[-]-]

Jack stood outside the door, wanting to take back everything and go back in. He reached his hand to the door handle, but slowly pulled it away. _I need to do this. I need to go._ Sighing, he whistled at Dogmeat.

"Ready to go, boy?" Jack asked him. His faithful animal friend barked in response. "Alright, let's go." Jack sighed as pulled out his usual riot gear coat out of his bag, wrapping it around his frame and pulling on the body armor. He pulled out a cigarette, lighting it and stuffing the tube of tobacco between his lips before continuing.

"General?" one of the settlers called out. Jack slowly turned his head to the woman who called out to him. "Where are you going, if you don't mind me asking?"

It took Jack a minute to decide where he'd be staying. "Diamond City."

"Alright. Stay safe, General," the woman said, saluting.

Before Jack knew it, he had already reached Concord. Kicking a raider body, Jack pulled the cigarette out of his mouth, blowing out smoke and throwing it on the ground before stepping on it. Rubbing his tired eyes, he leaned against the wall of a nearby building while yawning.

His exhaustion overcame him as his eyes slowly closed, his head dipping forward. He caught himself before he could fall on the ground, forcing his eyes open. As Jack slightly opened his mouth to yawn once more, he felt the wind enter his mouth and get caught in his throat, causing him to cough.

"Fuck," he muttered, his eyes closing slightly. Dogmeat barked at his side. As he forced his eyes open once more, a feminine figure in a blue vault suit stood before him. She had her arms crossed, a disappointed look on her face. It took Jack a while to recognize the familiar face that caused him so much pain.

"Nora," Jack groaned, his voice extremely hoarse.

"Hey there, Bullseye," Nora spoke, using his army nickname. Her tone wasn't her usual comforting tone. Jack yearned to just reach out to her, to hug her, hell, to even just _touch_ her in general. God, he loved Piper to no end but he truly did miss Nora. He felt chills in his bones as she stepped a bit closer.

"You know, it's crazy. How complicated the human mind is, right?" Nora asked, running her finger across Jack's body armor. "Someone's brain can be stressed to such a point that they just… _fall apart._ And yet, people don't learn from their mistakes. You'd think… you'd think that when someone's mind is overworked, they'd learn to give themselves time to rejuvenate, to heal, right? Nope. They go right back to the very thing that destroyed them. And it just happens all over again."

Jack knew for a fact that she was talking about him. He did exactly what Nora had explained; never set aside time for himself, always worrying about shit that he shouldn't worry about. He never gave a damn about his own mental health, or health in general. He just wanted others to have a better life than him. Yet in some way, Jack always found something selfish within him that he had to purge.

And it seemed like his mental health was one of those things.

"You always used to do that. The war changed you, Jack. You had seen some stuff back in your day," Nora spoke. "You were never yourself after what happened that day."

Jack closed his eyes as he remembered what had happened. His commanding officer had forced him to kill a group of scared, weaponless Chinese citizens. He could see the slaughter play in his mind. He retired from the army shortly after. He had served his time, so why did he have to go through what he did now? _Karma is a bitch, and so am I._

"I still loved you no matter what, even after everything that happened. And I always will," Nora explained. She stepped closer to him, stepping up on her tip toes to press her lips against Jack's cheek. Her lips were warm against his cold skin. He was always one to be cold. He spent two-hundred and ten years inside of a refrigerator, so the cold was nothing new to him.

"And Jack?" Nora began again, stepping back. "What you're doing… running away from these problems and not talking about it with her… it's not going to help. It'll only make things worse."

The former soldier frowned and gave an empty laugh. "You sure as hell sound like 'er. I still don't know why the hell either of you put up with my shit."

"Jackson, it's because both of us love you. As much as you deny the reality of it, we truly do love you. I hope you remember that. If not for your own sake, but for Piper's," Nora told him. "Don't keep her waiting."

As she began backing away, Jack reached his hand out. All of a sudden, he opened his eyes to realize he was sitting on the ground, head rested against the brick of the building behind him. Dogmeat's head resided on his leg, his ears twitching occasionally. Rain had started to fall, the scent of petrichor filling his nose. He stood up, rubbing his tired eyes and grabbing his bag. Since when the hell did his dreams become so… surreal and detailed. The warmth from Nora's kiss still remained on his cheek.

Trying not to linger on the dream, Jack pulled out the blue scarf Piper had given to him from his bag and wrapped it around his neck.

 _This warmth from the scarf is all that I need._

/\/\/\/\

 _ **You hid your skeletons when I had showed you mine**_

 _ **You woke the devil that I thought you'd left behind**_

 _I saw the evidence, the_ _ **crimson soaking through**_

 _Ten thousand promises, ten thousand ways to lose_

/

 _ **I watched you fall apart and chased you to the end**_

 _ **I'm left with emptiness that words cannot defend**_

 _You'll never know_ _ **what I became because of you**_

 _Ten thousand_ _ **promises**_ _, ten thousand ways to lose_

 _ **Powerless – Linkin Park**_

Piper had no clue as to what to do.

Her entire body shook with anxiety as she curled up on the couch, biting her lip. The only other time Piper had experienced this level of anxiety was when she found out her father had been murdered, and this time, her anxiety was multiple times worse. Many worries ran through her head, even irrelevant ones; _Does he have a place to sleep? Food?_

She already missed her Blue's arms wrapped around her. Piper just wanted him to come back and _hold on_ to her, to just be with her. _Dammit, Jack. Next time I see you, I'm going to slap you upside the head for this._ Piper looked up to find Cait walking in.

"Ey, Piper? You see me shotgun? I can't find it for the life of me," Cait asked her.

"N-No, haven't seen it. Sorry, Cait," Piper answered her, taking a deep, shaky breath afterwards.

"Aye, you ain't lookin' too good there. Everythin' alright?" Cait questioned as she cracked her knuckles.

Piper shook her head. "No. Jack, uh, he kind of just left."

"Did somethin' happen between ya two? I saw 'em leave a while ago with the mutt of his," Cait said, sitting on the arm of the couch.

Piper nodded, wiping her eyes of any threatening tears. "He kind of just… broke, you know? He's broken down before, and I was there for him, but this time," Piper paused to take a breath. "There wasn't really an argument, I guess… he thinks that spending time away from everyone, including me, will, uh, help his mental state. And you want to know the worst part, Cait? I couldn't even force myself to go after him." Her voice began to break the more she spoke.

"I'm sure the lad will be fine, Piper. He's a tough one, remember? Give 'em some time," Cait tried to reassure Piper. "He's come out alright before, right?"

Piper shook her head, pulling her knees up to her chest. "Not this time."

"Is it really that bad?" Cait inquired.

"Mhm. It was his worst episode yet, Cait," Piper told her.

"Ay, it ain't yer fault. He's the one who chose to leave."

"Yeah, but I just feel like… I feel like I could have done something to stop him from leaving, you know?" Piper said, fiddling with her fingers before rubbing her eyes.

"I know how ya feel, lass. Just take it easy, alright? He'll come around soon enough," Cait told her before standing up. "Now, where the shite is me shotgun?"

Now in silence, Piper had nothing but her own thoughts and a bottle of whiskey that lay discarded next to the couch. She grabbed it, popped open the cap and took a swig. The liquid burned her throat, causing her to cough momentarily before looking down at the bottle. Piper never knew why Jack enjoyed the alcoholic drink so much. It must have been a hundred times better before the bombs dropped than now.

As she continued to down the whiskey out of spite of herself, Piper's mind flooded with thoughts of guilt and regret. _I should have stopped him. I should have grabbed his arm before he left. I should have helped him, dammit!_ Slowly, Piper herself was breaking down. Within the matter of twenty minutes, she was already on her second bottle of alcohol and was starting to feel awful. She had started sobbing silently to herself within those twenty minutes.

Piper wasn't sure how long her own sanity would last without her second half.

/\/\/\/\

He remembers arriving at Diamond City for the first time as if it were yesterday.

"It's been a while, huh, Dogmeat?" Jack said, scratching Dogmeat's head behind his ears. His tail wagged in happiness as they continued. As Jack eyed one of the Diamond City guards, his inner voice nagged away in the back of his head.

 _Kill him._

 _I am not killing one of the guards. Why the hell would I do that?_

 _Ha-ha. Funny. Sic' em._

Without battling his own thoughts, Jack snuck up behind the guard and pulled him to the ground. He ripped off his helmet and covered his hand over the guard's mouth, muffling his screams of terror as he plunged his new knife into the man's stomach. He slung the body of the guard over his shoulder with a grunt and hid him in between two buildings before carving a large "R" into the body of the man.

 _Good._

Dogmeat whimpered next to Jack as he stuffed the helmet into his bag and grabbed his blue bandana. As the two began to trot away from the scene, Jack tied the bandana around his face. No one needed to know that he was here. As he walked into the big city, he stopped to look around. The view always mesmerized Jack every time he visited, just like the first time he was here. Nat was out front of _Publick Occurrences_ , shouting and handing out papers. As soon as she saw Jack, her face lit up.

"Jack!" she shouted as she ran up to him and gave him a hug.

"Hey kiddo," Jack responded, his voice broken before clearing his throat.

"Uh, did Piper come with you?" Nat asked, her hand waving a handful of newspapers subconsciously at her side.

Jack hesitated for a moment. "She-uh, she doesn't really know I'm here at the moment," Jack told her. _That sounds so bad._ "I came down here to run a few errands… just, uh, if she does happen to visit, don't tell her I'm here, alright, Nat?"

"Gotcha!" Nat exclaimed before going back to her post. Jack chuckled lightly to himself before he walked away. It was a shame. Nat would never know the truth as to why he was here, and why her sister wasn't with him. If anything, Nat deserved to know the truth. Yet Jack never turned around.

Jack walked along the wall until he found what he was looking for; the Thirty-Yard Bunker. The place was his home away from home. He found it not too shortly after his first visit to Diamond City. The place was already fully furnished when he got there. He opened the bulkhead door and allowed Dogmeat to trot inside before following behind him. The home had a scent of gunpowder and coffee. Jack pulled off his riot coat and armor, setting it down on the couch. He rummaged through his bag, pulling out a Brotherhood T-60 power armor helmet and the helmet he took from the security guard.

He placed them down on the workbench with a wicked smile painted across his face. He tinkered with the power armor helmet until he could get the voice filter and deep blue headlamp out of it. He grabbed the other helmet and inserted the voice filter and headlamp into it. After a few minutes of connecting everything, He pulled the helmet on while grabbing his sniper jacket. Jack wrapped the jacket around himself, buttoning it up and pulling on Kellogg's old, fingerless gloves. He pulled the blue scarf out from underneath his riot gear and wrapped it around his neck.

As the deep blue headlamp turned on in his helmet, Jack finally came to an agreement with himself.

 _We are Jack the Ripper._

* * *

 _By the way, frens, the Thirty-Yard Bunker is a mod! Check it out._


	32. 32

_ANGST._

/\/\/\/\

The cold air took Piper's breath away as she stepped into Diamond City, Nick following her in.

She always loved the colder days in the Commonwealth. There was something about the feeling of just being _cold_ that she really enjoyed. The cold always gave Piper a reason to get warm, whether it be by going inside or being in her Blue's arms. The feeling was hard for her to describe; you would be so cold that when you finally were in warmth, you could feel it. Yet, it would take a few minutes for the warmth to finally warm you up. She rubbed her arms through her coat as Nat at Piper, nearly knocking her over as she hugged her.

"Hey, kiddo!" Piper said, returning the hug. "How are the paper sales?"

"They're doing alright," Nat answered. "We actually have more sales than usual. The last article about the Lone Wanderer got some really good reception."

"Great. Why don't you head on inside, Nat. I'll be in a few minutes," Piper told her. As soon as Nat was inside of the Publick, Piper turned to Nick and gave him a hug, letting her vulnerability show. She had quickly explained to him what had happened when he found her nursing a bottle of whiskey, slouched over in a corner a day ago. Once Piper had sobered up, Nick volunteered to escort her to Diamond City, to which she agreed. She needed to get her mind off of everything.

"Thank you, Nicky," Piper began. "I'm glad you found me when you did, or else I might still be a bit drunk."

"No problem. Stay out of trouble, alright? If you need me, I'll be at the agency," Nick told her.

"I can't promise anything," Piper replied with a faint smile. "See you around, Nick."

Before Piper stepped into the Publick, she swore for a second she saw Jack sitting at Power Noodles.

/\/\/\/\

 _Jesus,_ _ **I'm a broken man**_ _, a broken man, a broken man_

 _Jesus, I'm a broken man_

 _ **Can you make me whole again?**_

 _Jesus, I'm a broken toy, a broken toy, a broken toy_

 _Jesus, I'm a broken toy_

 _ **Can you make me whole again?**_

 _ **Can you make me; can you make me whole again?**_

 _Jesus, people play with me, they toy with me_

 _Yeah, they mess with me_

 _ **Jesus, make me whole again**_

 _Can you undo what's undone?_

 _ **Can you make my, can you make my soul again?**_

 _ **Spiritual – Trocadero**_

[-[-]-]

Jack pulled his hood over his head the moment he saw Piper walk through the gateway. He watched her out of the corner of his eye while he ate his noodles. _Good. Nick is with her,_ he thought. _Better him than me._

 _Why the hell is she here, though?_

 _Ha! She's probably writing a paper about how the Vault Dweller walked out on the relationship because they were scared of their own head._

He continued to stuff his mouth with noodles, distracting himself from his thoughts. Jack's inner voice was right, though. He was scared of his own head. He looked over at Piper for a brief moment. She was looking almost right at him, but wasted no time to enter her home. As Jack looked back down at his noodle cup, he turned on the nearby radio. Travis's voice beamed through the radio. He was glad Travis had finally found his confidence. _Too bad you couldn't find your own confidence along the way._

"Alright, folks!" Travis exclaimed. "Here is yet another classic from the Ink Spots. Here is 'It's All Over but the Crying' for your listening pleasure."

The nostalgic song started out with the usual rift that was in some of the Ink Spots' songs, yet a bit slower. _"It's all over… but the crying. And nobody's crying but me… Friends all over know I'm trying… to forget about how much I care for you."_

" _It's all over but the dreaming… poor little dreams that keep trying to come true. It's all over but the crying and I can't get over crying over you."_

As the song continued, Jack felt his surroundings slip into his old world. The tune still played, just as it did on that fateful day. The noodle stand turned into a bar, a human bartender taking Takahashi's place. The empty stool next to him was no longer empty. Nora had sat down next to him. His black jacket had turned into his navy blue suit, and Nora was wearing her favorite green dress. As Jack looked down at his left hand, he noticed the ring sitting on his finger. He twisted it and nearly jumped out of his seat when she said something.

"It was our favorite bar. We had some really good times here, right?" Nora spoke. "Shame. The place is gone now. Remember how we would get so goddamn drunk half the time? Good times."

As he looked to his left, he realized it wasn't pre-war Nora talking. There she is, donning her blue vault suit with the blood smeared across the chest of it. "Why are you here again, Nora?"

"I hate to be so rude, Jack, but you need to come to your damn senses. There is a woman that cares about you just as much as I did not too far from here. And she is hurting," Nora spoke, anger in her voice.

"Nora, _I am_ the reason why she is hurting. She doesn't need me dragging her down all the time," Jack replied.

"God, give me the patience," Nora spoke under her breath. "Listen to yourself! This isn't the man I remember, the man I fell in love with."

"I've changed, Nora," Jack shot back, raising his voice slightly.

"I get that, Jack. Everything _has_ changed. Do you remember what I said in the holotape, Jack? _Everything we do, no matter how hard, we do it for our family._ " As she finished reciting the line from the recording, Jack could swear she almost continued on. He had listened to the damn thing so much that everything about it was burned into his brain, right down to Nora's tone of voice and the pitch of Shaun's laughter. "Do it for her, Jack."

Jack slammed his bottle of whiskey down on the bar hard enough to almost make the glass shatter. The song ended shortly after, leaving the two in dead silence for several seconds. Nora wasn't fazed one bit by it, crossing her arms in disappointment.

"Honest to God, Nora, do you truly believe she'd take me back? The moment she'd see me, she'd throw another damn beer bottle at my head," Jack hissed.

" _She loves you._ And I don't necessarily think she would show it by throwing a glass bottle at you _this time,_ Jackson," Nora explained. "And do you really think this is good for her mental stability, too?"

"I'm really starting to wish I died along with you in the vault," Jack mumbled, ignoring her question.

She grabbed Jack by his suit, pulling him so close to her that her face was blurry. Nora was on the short side, but oh boy, was she feisty. Jack gripped his stool so he wouldn't fall off of it. "Don't you dare say that, Jackson Schmidt. You don't realize it, but you've done good for this shithole of a world. If it were me that survived the damn vault, I would only care about getting Shaun back and nothing else. This world is a living hell, and you've made a lot of changes for the better. You have done better than anything I could have ever done out here."

"Really?! Is what I do, and what I have done really been for the better, Nora?" Jack argued.

"Jackson, listen. You got the chance to restart. I didn't. Use that chance to restart, because you sure as hell won't get another," Nora said, her voice becoming small as she let go of his navy blue suit. "You need to accept that. _If you don't, you will not be pleased with the outcome."_

Her final words echoed in Jack's ear as he sprung up from a slouched position. There was a man anxiously poking and prodding him, almost shouting words at him. _Goddammit. I need to get some real sleep._

 _But you sleep the best with Piper next to you, don't cha?_

Snow began to fall on the city as Jack gained a grip on his surroundings. People were frantically running throughout the market, yelling and shouting. The man had resorted to screaming at him to get his attention.

"You fucking idiot, wake up! There's an Institute courser here after Piper, you need to get the hell outta here before it comes for the rest of us!" the man shouted. His thick Bostonian accent made it almost hard to understand.

 _A courser after Piper? Son of a bitch._

Jack stood up quickly, resisting the urge of punching the man in the jugular. _It would be better if you left me to fucking die, jackass. Let me sleep forever, please._ With a sigh, Jack grabbed his bag and ran off. He pulled off his jacket and draped the sniper jacket around his flannel, buttoning it up and pulling on the gloves. He grabbed the DC helmet and pulled it on. The blue headlamp turned on as he pulled out his knives.

Returning back to the market, he spotted said courser attacking Piper. She was handling herself pretty well, but Jack wouldn't let that damn synth hurt her. Before he could even advance towards the courser, a security guard grabbed his shoulder.

"What do you think you're- why do you have a security guard helmet? That's beside the point. Why are you still in here? Coursers are dangerous. We have this handled," the guard said.

"If you have it handled, why isn't the courser dead?" Jack asked, his helmet filtering his voice to sound deeper than normal.

"We, uh-" the guard stumbled on his words. _I don't have time for your bullshit._ Jack shoved his knife into the chest of the guard, carving the 'R' into his body. He slowly let the guard fall to the ground.

"Ruhe in frieden," Jack whispered in German. (Rest in peace.) He pulled off the helmet of the guard and gently closed his eyes before standing back up. There were multiple other guards watching him, along with some of the DC citizens. He slowly turned around to see the courser kick Piper to the side.

" _You,"_ the courser spoke. "We've been looking for you."

"Am I that popular, courser?" Jack growled as he threw a punch at the synth. The courser caught his fist and kicked him in the side. As Jack fell to the ground, he caught a glimpse of the courser's name tag. _Z7-12._

Jack got back up on his feet, twirling one of his knives in his hand. "It's going to take a lot to put me down, Z7-12."

"And I plan on putting you down, you filthy mutt," Z7-12 spat back, pulling out his pistol and firing on Jack. He dodged every bullet, getting closer to the courser. He kneed Z7-12 in the stomach and pinned his arm against his back as he doubled over. Jack took his knife and stabbed it through the courser's hand and through his back. Z7-12 stumbled backwards, struggling to get the knife out of his hand and back. As the courser pulled out the knife, he threw it at Jack followed by multiple smaller knives.

He caught every knife thrown at him, one nearly hitting him square in the face. "You coursers aren't the only ones who are good with knives," Jack hissed. The courser swiftly used a stealth boy, making him go invisible. Jack watched the barely visible outline of the courser get closer to him. He took the knife and sliced open his hand, letting the blood pour out. He flung his blood towards the invisible courser.

"Son of a bitch," Z7-12 muttered as his stealth boy flickered.

"Hey, there," Jack spoke, laughing to himself as he waved at the courser. He threw the knife at Z7-12, lodging itself into his chest. Pulling out his other knife, he repeatedly stabbed the courser in the stomach. "Sleep well."

Jack watched as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. With a wry smile hidden under his helmet, he carved an 'R' into Z7-12's chest. He pulled the other knife out of the courser's chest, wiping the blood off on his sniper jacket. As he looked over his shoulder, he saw multiple guns trained on him. _I just killed a damn courser. Do you really think that's a good idea?_

"Who the hell are you?" one of the guards shouted.

"I'm no one special, officer. You better lower those guns of yours before you earn the same fate as your buddy and that courser," he hissed as he bent down to grab a piece of paper that stuck out of Z7-12's pocket. The paper read; _Objective: Eliminate Piper Wright. Eliminate Jack Schmidt. Return to Institute._

"But you can call me the Ripper." He looked over at Piper sitting on the ground. She had an arm around her midsection and a look of terror on her face. _I'm sorry._ He grabbed her discarded pistol and dropped it in her lap, the blue headlamp turning off in his helmet.

As he spun around on his heel, he looked down at Piper one last time. _Do it for her. She loves you, Jack._ He forced himself to advert his gaze, and left Piper sitting in the dirt.

 _I'm so sorry for what I have become._

* * *

 _I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'm coming down with a bit of a cold so I wanted to get through this as fast as I could._

 _Hope you guys liked it either way._


	33. 33

_The song he is humming is Isle of Flightless Birds by, of course, twenty one pilots._

/\/\/\/\

 _ **I'm evil to the core**_

 _ **What I shouldn't do I will**_

 _ **They say I'm emotional**_

 _ **What I want to save I will kill**_

 _ **Is that who I truly am?**_

 _ **I truly don't have a chance**_

 _Tomorrow I'll keep a beat_

 _And repeat yesterday's dance_

 _ **Fairly Local – twenty one pilots**_

[-[-]-]

One week.

It had only been about a week since Jack left, and he had already gotten into some trouble. It was obvious that the security guards knew that the Ripper existed, and he almost got his cover blown. Jack turned on the radio as he grabbed his knife, wiping down the blade with a cloth. Travis's voice beamed through the radio.

"Folks, if you spot a man wearing a Diamond City security guard helmet, a black sniper jacket, and a blue scarf, then stay away from him. Our intrepid reporter has informed us that this man is highly dangerous. Nobody knows his exact identity, but he claims himself to be called 'The Ripper.' His victims, which include two security guards and an Institute Courser, were found with large wounds in their chests; carved 'R's. So please do keep an eye out, listeners. He is not a force to be reckoned with. And now, here is _One More Tomorrow_ by Frankie Carle, just in time for Valentine's Day."

Jack leaned his hands against the desk, sighing. _She wrote an article about us, huh?_ He rubbed his eyes and sat down on the floor, leaning his head against his desk. All he wanted to do was go to sleep and never wake up. He was so tired of just… _everything._ The mental pain, the stress, heck, even just the Commonwealth itself. Jack wanted so badly to go home. He wanted to go back to the world he belonged in. _You're in this world, yet you're not of it._

 _Valentine's Day… huh._ Jack couldn't remember a day where he didn't spend Valentine's Day with someone. Whether it be with Nora, or just a friend, he was never alone on the holiday. It was just a day where he could relax and spend time with the people he cared about, and that's what it always was to him; it was never a day filled with cliché lovey-dovey shit. Yet, it felt so empty to not have Piper by his side; both in general and because it _was_ Valentine's Day.

Jack stood up and grabbed his jacket and pulled it on, pulling over the hood and tying his blue bandana around his face.

"I'll be back, Dogmeat," Jack spoke, scratching Dogmeat's head behind his ears. He happily barked before making himself comfortable on the couch. Jack subconsciously reached for his pistol that rested on his hip as he pushed open the bulkhead doors of the bunker. His footsteps made a crunching noise as he walked through the light layer of snow. It was the first snowfall he had experienced since being out of the vault, and hell, it was freezing. The cold wind cut right through his heavy jacket, causing him to shiver.

The seasons were slightly screwed up in the Commonwealth. From what he had been told, it was mostly hot for every month except for the last two months of the year and the first two. Even so, snow was a rare sight in post-apocalyptic Boston. And when it did come, it was almost like a nuclear winter.

 _Cold. Just like you, huh?_ Jack winced at the sudden headache and the vertigo that was forming. _Goddammit, I thought the damn migraines were gone._ The headaches were more prominent in his army days. Being constantly bombarded with loud explosions and whizzing bullets would do that to you. He pinched the skin between his index finger and his thumb before continuing.

He hummed quietly to himself as he sluggishly lumbered through Diamond City's back streets. _Please don't be afraid of what your soul is really thinking. Your soul knows good and evil, your soul knows both sides. It's time you pick your battle, and I promise you this is mine._ The humming quickly turned into barely noticeable singing. For some reason, that line kept repeating itself in his head. He kicked a pebble on the ground, watching it as it rolled away.

 _Good. Evil. I'm not really either of those, aren't I?_

 _Nah. You're neutral. Neutral is fine._

One thing was true; Jack couldn't see the defining traits that made the concepts of 'good' and 'evil' different. He laughed silently to himself. He thought he knew his own morality; apparently he was wrong. Jack wouldn't necessarily hold himself as good or evil. _Heh, funny. You're just lying to yourself. You know you're evil to the core. Don't try to hide it._

 _Hide. Right._

As Jack eyed a security guard walking his way, newspaper in hand, he quickly ducked into the shadows of another side street. He grabbed the guard as he walked by and wrapped his arms around the man's neck, trying to cut off the air to his head.

The guard squirmed and screamed into the bend of his arm. "Shh, schweigen," Jack whispered as his body went limp. (Silence.) He pulled the unconscious guard to the side and leaned him up against the wall before finally stabbing him and carving the 'R' into his chest. _Plagam extremam infligere._ Jack grabbed the paper that the guard had in his hands. There was a sticky note on the front that read, _"Notes on the Ripper. Bring to Danny."_

Jack had to bite down on his lip to keep from laughing out loud. Since when did they ever listen to what Piper had to say? When Jack had finally caught his breath, he pulled off the sticky note and stuffed it in his pocket. The headline read, _"The Ripper – Vigilante or Villain?"_

 _Villain,_ his inner voice hissed. _Shush._

He read through the article as he left the shadows of the street. Piper had explained the details of the courser attack and how he had popped out of nowhere and finished off the courser effortlessly. She went into depth about the deaths of two of the security guards, and voiced her opinion on someone who she didn't even realize was actually Jack.

" _So, my readers, steer clear of this mystery man. He is very unpredictable and has proven that he indeed does not mess around."_

"Unpredictable," Jack spoke out loud. _She's right about that. Me and my damned mental issues are more unpredictable than this damn weather._ Paper still in hand, Jack went to the market, sitting down at Power Noodles.

"Na-ni shimasho-ka?" Takahashi asked him. On any other week, Jack would have politely said no. But today, he would scrap the damn bot for parts if he could.

"No, Takahashi. I do not want any goddamn noodles, you malfunctioning tin can," Jack hissed. The robot did nothing but turn away, almost as if the robot was hurt by what he said. _Disappointing everyone nowadays, aren't cha?_

Jack shook his thoughts away as he looked around the market, trying to find any sign of Piper. He couldn't see here anywhere. _Good._ He stood up and marched over to _Publick Occurrences._ Nat stood out front, selling papers.

He leaned up against the wall, hood draping over his face. "Pssst. Naaaat!"

"Jack, is that you?" Nat asked, a little bit too loud for Jack's liking.

"Yes," Jack whisper-shouted. "Shh. Is Piper in there?"

"No, Piper is at Nick's office. Why?" Nat told him.

"I just need to go inside for a quick second," Jack told her.

"Alright. Go ahead," Nat said, opening the door for him.

"Thanks, Nat," Jack whispered as he slipped inside. That scent that permeated his nose the first time he was there filled his nose once more. He stopped for a second, taking in the wonderful scent that was ink and newspapers. A hint of nostalgia overcame him as he looked around at his surroundings. The table that him and Nat drew at, the couch he sat on when he first arrived, and the printing press Piper had been working at while he explained to her that she spelled "PUBLICK" incorrectly. Jack tightened his grip on the newspaper in his hand. He was here for one reason, and one reason only. He couldn't let his _emotions get the best of things._

Jack stepped up the stairs that led to Piper's desk and bed. He looked at the drawing that him and Nat had done that hung over her terminal, stuck to the wall with a railway nail. The memory of that moment flashed before his eyes. He pulled out the old knife that still hid in his combat boot. Jack ran his thumb over the blade and the engraving before pinning the newspaper to the wall with the knife. The blade went right through the word 'villain.'

 _You are pathetic, you know that?_

 _Shut up, self. Put that in a memo of shit that I already know._

A part of him wanted to stay there and wait for Piper to return. Yet he couldn't stand being in there for any longer. He took one last look around before exiting through the roof, fists clenched.

/\/\/\/\

 _Spending hours on end, deciding what I'd say to a friend if I ever saw him again_

 _Cause I don't know if I know, don't want to come across the wrong way and I don't know if I know but I want to see your face today_

 _ **And somebody told me they saw you cry and break down**_

 _ **Do you know how hard that is to get around and think about?**_

 _ **It's not like you to let emotions get the best of things especially when everything is hanging in the air we breathe**_

 _And I just can't believe it has to be this way, you know it seems to me that it was just the other day_

 _I_ _ **saw your face, I saw your light, you ran the race, you fought the fight**_

 _ **But now it's all being torn down for me tonight**_

 _And I know it might be a little selfish of me to say,_ _ **but I need to know if you thought of me at all today**_

 _Cause every day walk past the place you lived five days of the week_

 _ **And now it's ten after four and I am taken by sleep**_

 _ **Taken by Sleep – Tyler Joseph**_

[-[-]-]

Piper stomped through the door, slamming it shut and sliding down the back of it, pulling her knees to her chest. A few rogue tears began to stream down her cheeks.

She had gone down to Nick's agency to see if he had found any leads as to where her Blue had gone. His words rang in her ear. _"Hate to break it to you, Piper, but I haven't found anything so far. Just give the kid some time. You know how he is. He'll turn up eventually."_ She was tempted to just write up a quick article that would inform the city of his disappearance, or plaster every corner with a missing persons paper. At this point, Piper honestly hoped that at least the Institute could have gotten him instead of her Blue wandering aimlessly throughout the Commonwealth. It was highly unlikely, but a reporter could only wonder.

Piper rubbed her eyes as Nat sat down next to her on the floor. She couldn't let Nat see her big sis break down like this. Ever since the day their father was murdered, Piper vowed to stay strong for her, and she wasn't going to break that vow now.

"Piper, what's wrong?" Nat asked softly, embracing her sister in a hug. Piper shook her head.

"N-Nothing, I'm fine," Piper mumbled, sniffling. "Don't worry 'bout me." _Goddammit, Piper, now you're starting to_ sound _like him._

"Come on, Piper. You've been acting weird all week! It's the fourth time you've gone to Nick's office in the past two days. What's up?" Nat questioned.

"Nat, I said I'm fine. Did anything crazy happen while I was gone?" Piper said, avoiding her question.

"Piper, please-"

"Nat! I said I'm fine! Now please, could you let me be for a while?" Piper snapped, cutting her off. She immediately regretted her actions. Piper pulled her into another hug, apologizing. "Sorry, kiddo, I've just had a really stressful week. Between the paper, and some… other things, I really haven't gotten a break."

"I'm sorry for bugging you about it, Piper. I'll leave you alone. But if you need to talk, let me know. We're sisters, we look after each other," Nat stressed before going off to do her own thing. _Bless the kid, going out of her way for_ me.

Piper picked herself up off the ground and headed upstairs. It was getting late, and she needed the rest. _As if I'll even get any sleep._ She threw herself into her bed, not bothering to take off her hat or her jacket. She grabbed onto one of her discarded pillows and hugged it close to her body, allowing herself to slip into the oblivion that is the world of sleep.

[-]

She shivered and tried to catch her breath as she sat upright.

The panic attack had started as soon as Piper woke up. _Not again._ As she stood up, she looked over at the clock. _4:00am._ Piper hurried down the stairs and grabbed a bottle of purified water before returning back upstairs. She noticed a knife sticking out of the wall and what looked like to be one of her articles pinned onto the wall with it. Setting down the bottle of water on her desk, she pulled the knife out of the wall.Piper grabbed the paper before it could fall to the ground. It was her most recent article about the Ripper. Looking down at the knife, she ran her finger over the engraved words. _Killer._

 _4:05am._ A few tears slipped from her eyes as the realization finally hit her. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to escape. _Goddammit, Jackson! Why do you do this to me?_ Piper sat down on the bed, knife and paper still in her hands as she bit down on her lip to stifle the oncoming sobs. Her sorrow and sadness quickly turned to anger. _Has he been hiding under my nose for this goddamn long, and I just haven't realized it?_

Piper threw the knife at the wall in a fit of rage as multiple sobs escaped her lips. She covered her mouth with her gloved hands in an attempt to mask the loud sobs, but to no avail. She sunk further into the bed as her shoulders shook violently. Her breath hitched as more tears escaped her eyes and more loud whimpers came. _Damn you!_

Piper looked back at the clock, her vision slightly blurred. She could barely make out the numbers. _4:10am._ She laid down, taking deep breaths before finally slipping back into unconsciousness.


	34. 34

_Suicidal! Themes! Are! In! This! Chapter! Continue! At! You're! Own! Risk!_

/\/\/\/\

 _I don't know why; I just feel I'm better off staying in the same room I was born in_

 _I look outside and see a whole world better off without me in it, trying to transform it_

 _ **You are out of my mind, you aren't seeing my side**_

 _ **You waste all this time trying to get to me**_ _but you are out of my mind_

/

 _Oh_ _ **, don't you test me though**_ _, just because I play the piano_

 _ **Doesn't mean I am not willing to take you down**_

 _ **I'm sorry**_

 _I'm,_ _ **I'm out of my mind**_ _,_ _ **I'm not seeing things right**_

 _ **I waste all this time trying to run from you**_

 _But I, I'm out of my mind_

Not Today – twenty one pilots

/\

 _Open the slits in your face and start your day_

 _You don't have much time to make your slits look just right_

 _ **I'm in your mind, I'm singing**_

 _I'm in your mind, I'm singing_ _ **la-da la-da la-da la-da la-da la-da da**_

Before You Start Your Day – twenty one pilots

[-[-]-]

He didn't know why he bothered anymore. He didn't know why _anyone_ bothered anymore.

The question endlessly floated in Jack's screwed up head. _Why do people even bother to put up with this shit anymore?_ The Commonwealth was better off when the bombs first dropped than it was now. It was better off without _him._ All he did was make the damn place worse. Nothing he did even _mattered_ anymore. Jack was unsure about how everyone just completely disregarded the awful things he had done in his five months of being in post-apocalyptic Boston, Massachusetts. No one ever saw his side. No one ever took the time to realize that he was more messed up than half the people in this world. Hell, they completely overlooked kidnappings. Like hell they're going to start recognizing his horrible decisions now.

Maybe the world was better off without him. It wouldn't suffer if he was gone all too soon.

He was two-hundred forty goddamn years old. It wouldn't suffer _at all._ Jack downed the bottle of whiskey with little effort, his vision blurring from the tunnel vision. _Let them deal with the Institute. They'll be fine._

 _The Institute…_ That was another entire topic that Jack didn't want to begin to think about. They were just a group of scientifically advanced heathens, and he still had to destroy them on top of everything else. No wonder why the man was so goddamned stressed out. He could never catch his breath. _Serves you right, Killer. You know, nothin' is keeping you here. You can leave whenever you want._

His inner voice spoke the truth. It wasn't pleasant, but it was the truth. Jack had a choice. He didn't need to stay there, not that the Commonwealth would care. As his darker thoughts began to consume him, he grabbed onto the knife that lay discarded to his side, running it gently against the skin of his forearm. His thoughts raced to Nora; perhaps the only thoughts that could have saved him at this point. He promised to her that he wouldn't allow his mental illness to consume him and push him this far. He wouldn't join the numbers of soldiers suffering with PTSD that had been pushed to their mental limits.

Jack ran the blade against the recent scar on his palm. Maybe slicing his hand open during that fight with the courser wasn't the _best_ idea. He winced in slight pain as he gently dug the edge of the knife into the scar, breaking the skin. He wiped the blood off on the sniper jacket. _Stop._ He just wanted his head to stop turning against him. Was that too much to ask?

Dogmeat trotted over and laid down next to him. It seemed as if Dogmeat knew he wasn't having a good time. Jack gently patted him on the belly. He twirled the knife between his index finger and his hand. Jack could just faintly hear quiet, beautiful singing to his right. _La-da, la-da da…_ "Shut up," Jack muttered, his voice hoarse. He swallowed, his throat burning with pain. _I'm hallucinating, aren't I?_ Dogmeat's ears perked up as he lifted his head. _Maybe not._ The quiet singing continued, getting slightly louder with each minute passing.

The singing had reached to his ear by now, causing him to shiver uncontrollably. "Nora, why can't you just leave me alone?" Jack asked, not getting a response besides more humming and singing. _La-da, la-da._

" _I'm in your mind. I'm singing."_

She used to sing the damn song all the time, especially after Jack had come home from the war. It was his saving grace, but not today. "Bitte aufhören, Nora. Bitte," Jack spoke in German. _(Please stop, Nora. Please.)_

" _Nowhere were they holy, open up your eyes and see. The clouds above will hold you, the clouds above will sing."_

"Nora! Lassen sie meine goddamn kopf!" Jack shouted. _(Nora! Leave my goddamn head!)_

" _I'm in your mind. I'm singing…"_ Her singing died off shortly after, leaving Jack in silence once again. The song played over and over in his head. He could hear the piano and the shakiness of the singer's voice. _La-da, la-da, la-da, la-da, la-da, la-da da…_ Jack wasn't sure how to feel about the song anymore. It was just a reminder to him that he was going insane, now. Jack grabbed a bottle of whiskey that had been in the cabinet he was sitting against, ignoring the blur of his vision and the oncoming pain of a migraine. How many bottles had he had already? Two? Three? He couldn't remember.

"See, Piper? I told you I had a high tolerance of alcohol," Jack spat out bitterly, remembering when he first told her that. He chuckled to himself, his laughter hollow. "I'm so sorry."

Jack didn't know what the hell he was sorry for. _Come on, Jack. Snap out of it. You'll be okay._ The voice of greater judgment in his head sounded like Nora. She was always Jack's voice of reason; his voice of rationality. Maybe it would have been worth the time it if he started listening to her again.

For now, Jack just popped open the bottle of whiskey, downing it with ease as he tried to fight the tears that stung in his eyes.

/\/\/\/\

 _Where'd you go, huh? They all think they know you_

 _It's so hard to motivate me to devote a single inch of me to something I can't see_

 _Don't mean to pry but why would you even make the eyes?_

 _I don't believe my ears, and_ _ **I'm scared of my own head**_

 _ **I will deny you for years then I'll make you raise me from the dead**_

 _And if I said that I would live for you for nothing in return_

 _ **Well, I'm sorry Mr. Gullible, lying is all I've learned**_

 _ **So be concerned**_

Be Concerned – twenty one pilots

[-[-]-]

Piper listened to the crunch of the snow under her boots as she walked along the wall of the city.

"What makes you so certain that Jack is out here?" Nick questioned, following her.

"Maxson's battlecoat would come in handy right about now," Piper mumbled, ignoring Nick's question as she shivered. She had too much on her mind at the moment to answer his question. She began to walk faster as more snow fell on them.

"Piper," Nick called out, stopping her with his robotic hand on her shoulder. "Slow down." Piper whipped around, teeth clenched and dark turmoil in her usually emerald green eyes. Nick had never seen her so upset and _broken_ before.

Fear burned in her throat as she spoke. "I'd love to slow down, Nick. But I can't bear another minute knowing that he is out here by himself, drowning in his own mental problems. He's _unstable._ He could be in some serious trouble right now if we don't get there in time."

"I get that, Piper, but you need to catch your breath," Nick stressed. "We will get to him. But please, for his sake, stop and take a breath."

She looked him directly in his yellow eyes before snapping back at him. "I would rather keel over than see him suffer." Nick was right, though. She was on the edge of another panic attack when he stopped her. Piper would never admit to him that he was right. Her heart started beating fast, and her hands were shaking so much that she had to grip her 10mm on her hip to control it. All Nick did in response was nod. He knew better than to argue with her. She spun around on her heel and began searching again.

Multiple scenarios played over and over in Piper's head. _Why are you worrying so much? All he did was hang up one of your articles with a knife._ But that's _why_ she's so worried. Jack could sometimes be unpredictable, and other times very predictable. If she knew him well enough, and she _does,_ he would probably still be a mental mess. Yet, he could be so much worse than what Piper thought.

Either way, she wasn't going to let herself stand by while he breaks himself down. Piper would never be able to forgive herself if she let him. After a few more minutes of searching, Piper can finally answer Nick's original question.

"I heard some guards talking about him. Well, talking about the _Ripper._ I heard them say that they saw him enter an underground bunker of the sorts along the wall," she explained.

"So, let me get this straight. Jack is this 'Ripper' that the whole city is in a tizzy about?" Nick asked. _Oh, that's right. I never explained it to him._

"Yes. At least, the evidence is there to show it," Piper told him. "I'm worried that he's going to take this too far and then be locked up in the jail."

"So… he'd be Jack the Ripper, right?"

"I guess so…" Piper answered him, a bit confused.

"Jack the Ripper was a criminal who terrorized Whitechapel, London in the 1880's," Nick told her.

"Huh," Piper replied, locking her fingers. "Then yeah, I guess he kind of is, isn't he?" The two were silent after that, leaving Piper to her own thoughts.

The longer they were silent, the more worried Piper became. What was the worst that could happen? From what she knew, Jack was staying in that bunker for the most part. He would be safe from any guards trying to grab him, and he wouldn't be in danger. But Piper knew him. Jack was a man who had too much self-doubt and self-hatred. Anything could happen with him. Piper knew he could be his own destruction, and that scared her beyond belief. She had almost lost him before to his own thoughts. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to go on if he lost himself in his own mind.

All she wanted was for her Blue to come back.

Piper nearly tripped on something while she wasn't paying attention. Luckily, Nick caught her before she could fall flat on her face. "Thanks, Nick," Piper whispered to him. He simply nodded. As she looked back down at what she tripped on, her eyes widened. She swiftly wiped the snow off of the bulkhead door. _Wait… Jack has been in the Thirty-Yard Bunker this entire time?_

Nick must have read her thoughts. "Ah, the Thirty-Yard Bunker... If I had known this was still here, I would have already looked here."

Piper wasted no time to open the bulkhead door. She kept her hand on her 10mm out of habit and held her breath as she stepped in. The radio was playing _Crazy He Calls Me_ and the place smelled of alcohol and cigarette smoke. Dogmeat laid on the couch, his ears twitching as Nick and Piper walked by him. They finally found Jack, who was spread across the bed, bottle in one hand. His knife lay discarded on the table next to him. Piper noticed a faint blood stain on his sniper jacket. Her thoughts raced, but she tried to reassure herself. He was still breathing. She could finally let go of her breath as she approached him.

"Blue?" Piper spoke aloud. She mentally kicked herself when Jack sprung awake, grabbing his knife and pointed it towards her. He was always a light sleeper. "Blue! It's me, calm down." _You could say that to yourself._

"Piper?" Jack responded in disbelief as he threw down his knife. His voice was gravely and hoarse, and it worried Piper. "Why the hell are you here?"

She trembled in anxiety as those words escaped his lips. She expected him to leap into her arms when he saw her. But things don't always work out the way you want them to, right?

"Wha- I-I'm here because you worried me beyond belief! Why else would I be here?" Piper answered him. She tried not to show _how_ lost she had become without him.

"I'm _fine,_ Piper. You don't need to worry about me."

"You and I both know damn well that that is a fucking lie," Piper demurred. She almost never swore like she did. Her previous anger had returned. "You've lied to me, to everyone for over a week, Jackson."

"She is right, kid. Let us help you before Piper goes crazy," Nick added. Piper glanced at him in her peripheral vision.

"Nick, don't help, please. I've got this," Piper said, trying not to sound too angry. "Jack, why are you doing this?"

"I'm doing this to protect you from _me._ I'm a goddamn monster, Piper!"

"Don't you dare start this again, Jackson!"

"You don't get it… do you? A monster is all I have ever been! I left because I was a danger to you, to everyone around me. And it's pretty goddamn obvious I still am. Hell, you fucking labeled me as a possible villain in your latest article. You and I both know well that this world would be better off without me," Jack hissed, his brows furrowing. "Ich bin ein wertloses stück müll. Ich verdiene es nicht." _(I am a worthless piece of trash. I don't deserve you.)_

"Jack, you are the most goddamn important thing to me in this hell of a world. I don't know what the hell I'd do if you were gone," Piper argued back. She could just begin to feel the tears trying to force their way out of her eyes, and she could feel the heaviness in her chest. "I love you, I hate seeing you like this! Please, just come back. We can get you help, get those damn thoughts out of your head." Piper hoped that those three words would bring him back.

She didn't know if it was her vision blurring from the tears that were almost escaping, or if she was seeing things correctly, but his eyes seemed to turn a darker blue. _He's too far gone._

"Piper, please, just leave me," Jack begged. She didn't want to; if he was having those kind of goddamn thoughts, she wanted to be there for him. " _Please."_

"You can't… You can't just make me leave," Piper swallowed hard. Everything seemed to start spinning. He looked directly into her eyes. She could see all of the fear, the self-hatred, and the darkness that he was going through in his blue eyes. It was almost as if his eyes were speaking to her. "F-Fine. I'll go. Nick and I will leave. Come see us when you change your mind."

Piper stepped backwards, not wanting to leave. She couldn't bring herself to say goodbye to him if it could possibly be the last goodbye she ever spoke to him. She swiftly turned on her heel and left the bunker, not letting him see the wet streaks on her face.


	35. 35

_SUICIDAL STUFF WARNING. PROCEED WITH CAUTION._

 _Milder than the previous chapter, but it's still there. You have been warned._

/\/\/\/\

 _ **In love, in need, in want, in miss**_

 _ **I taste your bite, I taste your kiss**_

 _And I think back,_ _ **the things you said**_

 _ **They make me mad, a bull to red**_

 _ **And I wonder where you are, and I wonder what you wore**_

 _ **And I'm lost inside a bar, and I'm drunk inside a war**_

 _And I wonder where you are…_

 _Drinking Martinis by myself on a Sunday_

 _Drinking Martinis again on a Monday_

 _It's a half life…_

 _ **I buy your brands, I smoke your brands, I count the what-ifs on one hand**_

 _Drinking Martinis alone, Sunday morning_

 _Drinking Martinis again, Sunday evening_

 _It's a half life…_

Half Life - Trocadero

[-[-]-]

He was surprised to see that Piper actually decided to turn around and leave. Jack assumed that good ole stubborn Piper would try to change his mind. He was a monster. He was supposed to be locked away where he couldn't hurt anyone more than he already did. Jack only wished that it wouldn't have taken him this long to lock himself away. _I should have left myself in that damn vault._ After all, it would have been more _humane._

 _Knowing oneself means acknowledging one's actions. And, well, as of lately, you've done some pretty terrible things._

Jack sighed, looking down at the lighter in his hand. If only Piper could see and understand his side. He flicked the lighter on, watching the flame. Jack moved the flame closer to his left hand, swearing under his breath as he accidently burnt the reopened wound. He didn't plan on actually burning his hand. The flame went out and Jack tried lighting it again, watching as it went out immediately. The damn thing was finally dying.

Jack remembered when he first got the lighter back in his college days. He found it laying around just outside his dorm room. That was when he met Nora; they nearly bumped heads when they both bent over to pick it up. She never smoked due to her asthma, but her father had given it to her as a token of good fortune. And hell, it worked; it led him to the love of his life and later the woman he would marry. If only that luck never ran out.

After Nora had willingly given it to him, he would always flick it on and off before she'd take it from his hands and scold him for "playing with fire," followed by Jack's laughter and reassurance. Now, he didn't have anyone who would warn him of the dangers of messing around with it. Piper most certainly would stop him and scold him about it, but he already pushed her away. She was the very thing that could save him from himself, and he pushed her away. _You always have great ideas, don't ya?_ Jack continued to flick the lighter on, watching the small flame die out quickly. Piper wouldn't be there to stop him from falling away.

Perhaps it was for the better.

Grabbing Kellogg's pistol, Jack sat down on the couch next to Dogmeat, examining the pistol. Jack never used it. It was a symbol of a horrible act committed by a horrible monster. It was the weapon that ended the life of the someone he held so close to him. He'd be damned if he'd allow himself to use it to end another innocent life. He grabbed a cloth and wiped down the barrel of the pistol. It was a useful weapon. If it wasn't for the damn pistol, Jack probably would have been dead right now. He used it to cut down the remaining synths in Fort Hagen. At that point, he had little ammo and anything to heal himself with. That damn pistol saved his life. Yet, he vowed he'd never use it again unless absolutely necessary.

 _Only if necessary, huh? Would this be a necessary time, hmm?_

Jack nearly threw the pistol across the room at that thought. He was sick and tired of the thoughts that ravaged his mind. He just wanted them to _stop._ Nothing good was coming of it. Jack learned and _knew_ that if he was gone, he'd be lifting a burden off of many peoples' shoulders. He was nothing at this point. Just a shell of a man who was barely there in the first place. And Jack didn't know what the hell to do about it. He was trying _oh so hard_ to stay. There was one point where he truly wanted to fix himself. But it only got worse from that point on.

Maybe he should just make like his damn lighter and burn out. _Leaving this world isn't so scary as it sounds, doesn't it?_

Looking down at the pistol, he tried not to think about what he'd leave behind. He'd be leaving the woman he loved behind and her sister. He'd be leaving Preston, Cait, MacCready and everyone else he had become great friends with. He would leave behind the Minutemen, who needed a general to guide them in the right direction to destroying the Institute and making the Commonwealth safe. He would be breaking a promise he made with Nora so many years ago.

 _Come on, Jack. If Preston got past it, you can too._ For once, his inner voice did him good. Sliding his pistol into his hip holster, Jack stood up. _I'll stay, for now._ He slid on his riot coat and stuffed a pack of cigarettes into his pocket. It just so happened to be the brand that Piper used to enjoy; they were the same brand that Jack had found on Kellogg's body after killing him. They were better than the usual Grey Tortoise ones that they found often. He lit the cigarette with what little use his damn lighter had left, stuffed the tube of tobacco in between his lips and left the comfort of his bunker.

As he walked into the cold, crisp winter air, he could just barely make out about six guards not too far away, chatting. The light of Jack's cigarette was his only light source out in the grey and colorless evening, and the smoke he blew out of his mouth intertwined with his own shaky, anxious breath. The snow was still falling, which made the sky look almost lit up, yet dark at the same time. Jack shivered before leaning up against the wall, eyeing Abbot not too far away; he was still painting with the green paint Jack had got him a few months prior. Jack wasn't sure how the man hadn't frozen over just like he had for those two-hundred and ten years, just like a popsicle.

Jack rubbed the end of the cigarette against the wall before flicking it into the snow. Looking up, he noticed the group of guards inching closer and closer to him. He could barely make out what they were saying.

"Is that the Ripper?" one of the guards said, loading ammo into his pistol.

"Nah, it doesn't look like it," the other answered. "He ain't wearin' one of our helmets."

"It doesn't matter who the hell it is. We were given orders to kill anyone who exits the Thirty-Yard Bunker, or anyone who lingers near it," the next guard said.

"So what are we waiting for?" the fifth one added, his accent obvious and thick. "Let's get 'em."

"Come on, let's go!" the last guard said, pulling out his bat before charging towards Jack. By the time they got there, he already had his hands in the air as the guards trained their weapons on him.

"You've got two options, scavver," one of the guards growled, aiming his assault rifle at his chest. Jack wanted to just kill them all and get it over with, but he tried to abide by his morals. "Come with us and answer our questions, our you get shot. Which one you want to go with?"

Jack only grumbled as he reached to grab his cigarettes out of his pocket. The guard must have thought he was reaching for his pistol, because he shot him right in his bad shoulder. Jack let out a pained growl as he grabbed Kellogg's pistol from his hip, aiming at the guard's head. _Be careful what you shoot for, because you might hit what you aimed for._ He planned on doing just that as he fired the pistol, watching as the bullet left the barrel and found itself in the guard's brain. Next thing Jack knew, he felt pain all over. He ducked yet almost fell when one of the guards swung a bat at him, and fired up into his stomach multiple times. He caught the bat as the guard fell to the ground and jammed it into the stomach of the guard behind him.

Looking down, he noticed his armor was covered in blood. There were three holes in his armor, and as he realized that he had been shot, his vision blurred. He squinted, trying to regain his vision as he a bullet reach his leg. The blood splattered in the snow, clear as day. Jack unsheathed his knife that resided on his left thigh and plunged the blade into another guard's chest. He could see the guard's life drain from his eyes before sliding the knife out of his chest cavity and pushing him onto the ground. For getting shot five times, Jack still managed to stand up straight and launch the knife into the second to last guard's head.

The last guard tackled him to the ground, punching him over and over again in the face until his lip and nose were both bleeding. The guard cussed Jack out, shouting multiple insults.

"You fucking son of a bitch, you're worthless, you know that?" the guard shouted, slugging him once more in the face, this time in the eye.

"Could you put that in a memo entitled 'shit I already know?'" Jack shouted back in between punches. As the guard wrapped his hands around his neck, Jack reached for his knife and stabbed the guard in the stomach. "Schwein." _(Bastard._ Jack grunted as he pushed the body of the guard off of him and to the side. Blood covered the freezing snow beneath him, almost turning a pink color. He cried out in pain as the adrenaline finally wore off. It felt as if he had laid there for hours in his own blood. His breathing was sharp, quick and still shaky.

The last thing he heard before passing out was the satisfying crunch of someone's boots in the snow. _You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?_

/\/\/\/\

 _ **I'm not evil to the core**_

 _ **What I shouldn't do I will fight**_

 _ **I know I'm emotional**_

 _ **What I want to save I will try**_

 _ **I know who I truly am**_

 _ **I truly do have a chance**_

 _ **Tomorrow I'll switch the beat**_

 _ **To avoid yesterday's dance**_

Fairly Local – twenty one pilots

She was talking a walk when she heard his loud cries. Piper had begun to sprint as fast as she could when the shouts of pain started, trying desperately to find him. When the whimpers and shouts of agony faded out into the cold evening, Piper's heart began to race. Something inside her just knew that it was Jack. She quickly slid to his side, completely ignoring the blood-stained snow on the ground and the bodies of six dead security guards.

"No, no, no, no, come on," Piper mumbled as she searched through her bag for a stimpack. She pulled out the last one she had and shoved the needle into Jack's chest. It wouldn't be enough, but it would hold him over. He was still breathing, but every breath he took was irregular. She pressed a kiss to his forehead before wiping the blood off of his face, and noticed that black rings were forming around his left eye.

"God, what did- what the hell did they do to you?" Piper whispered, her voice cracking up halfway through her sentence. She lightly tapped his face, trying to get him to wake up. Jack groaned in response, shifting in the snow. "Jack, come on, wake up. Please."

"Piper," Jack groaned, lifting his hand in the air. Piper took his hand and helped him stand up, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and neck. Jack leaned his head on her shoulder, whimpering in pain and repeating her name over and over again. She reassured him with quiet whispers and her free hand running through his matted hair. She led him to the _Publick_ and laid him down on the couch.

"Nat!" Piper shouted, trying to get her attention.

"Yeah, Piper? What's up- whoa, what happened to Jack? Is he going to be alright?" Nat asked frantically, bombarding Piper with questions.

"I'll explain later. Just get Doctor Sun. And hurry!" Piper exclaimed, to which Nat nodded and trotted out the door. Piper shook with anxiety, holding onto Jack's gloved hand for dear life. It may have not looked like it on the outside, but Piper was absolutely _terrified._ She hoped that Jack didn't purposely put himself into danger, considering the recent events. Doctor Sun was there in the matter of a few minutes, Nat dragging him by the hand.

"Oh boy, did Jack get injured again?" Sun asked, crossing his arms. Piper silently nodded. "You're lucky I actually like you guys. Move over, and I'll see what I can do."

Piper paced nervously across the floor, asking Sun about his condition nonstop. "You ask one more time, Piper, I won't help you out at all after this," Sun warned.

"Alright, sorry, sorry. I'll get off your back about it, I'm just… really nervous," Piper explained before continuing to pace back and forth. She watched as Jack slipped into and out of consciousness multiple times, grumbling and groaning. Piper desperately wanted to do something, anything to help out.

"Hey, he'll be fine," Nat reassured Piper, giving her a hug. "He's tough."

"Thanks, sis," Piper thanked her, returning the affection before rubbing one of her eyes with her hand. "I hope so."

After what seemed like hours, Sun was finally finished. Jack's armor, coat, and flannel shirt were discarded, leaving him in his tank top and multiple bandages wrapped around his midsection. His leg was propped up with a pillow, and a bag of ice resided on his eye. There was another bandage wrapped around his left hand. The scene broke Piper's heart.

"It's going to take a while for him to recover," Doctor Sun began to explain. "But if you treat him with stimpacks and Med-X, and allow him to rest, he should be in good shape in about a week and a half or so. Jack won't be fully healed by then, but he'll be ready to do his normal activities. Stop by at my office later, and I'll provide you with any supplies you need, on the house."

"Thanks, Sun," Piper said, letting herself hug the man. "You're a life saver, literally." She flashed the doctor a weak smile as he exited the Publick, leaving her alone with a man who might as well be dead and her little sister. Piper watched as Nat scurried over to her bed underneath the stairs before she kneeled down next to Jack, running her hand through his hair once more, waiting for him to return to consciousness. She grabbed his left hand and looked at the bandage. _I don't remember seeing anything wrong with his hand…_ Removing the bandage slowly, she noticed a burn mark spread across a large scar. _No… he couldn't have, could he?_ Piper swiftly wrapped his hand back up with the bandage as Jack slowly woke up.

He groaned, tightening his hand into a fist. "Ugh- Piper? Why am I at your place?" Jack questioned, sitting up slightly as Piper gently scratched his head with her hand.

"Shhh, I found you lying in the snow, bleeding out. I couldn't let you stay out there. Sun patched you up," Piper explained.

Jack sunk back into the couch. "Any other time this week I would have been angry being in your presence. But, thank you, Red."

"No problem," Piper said, standing up. "Well, I'm guessing you're going to want to return back to the Thirty-Yard Bunker then…" Piper's voice trailed off. She already knew the answer, but wanted to know anyways.

"Well… yeah, I was going to go back," Jack began, grabbing her arm. "But… I don't know."

"You don't know?" Piper raised her voice, the fear and worry obvious. "Jack, I've been waiting for longer than a week for you to return."

"I know; I know… I just… you'd be better off without me," Jack admitted, running his thumb along the bandage on his left hand. "I've thought about it a lot, and I think I should just, you know, stay out of your way. I've already hurt you enough, and I've killed multiple city guards."

Piper could hear the sorrow and regret in his voice. "Jackson, don't _ever_ believe that," Piper began, looking down at her feet and then into his light blue eyes. She noticed that they weren't dark blue, unlike the last time she saw him. "You've made my life so much better. This past week has been hell without you."

"I'm sorry," was all Jack could say. "I wish I could make it up to you. But I can't, I don't think I ever could."

"Blue," Piper began, using his nickname for the first time in a while. "If you want to make it up to me, come back. From what I've seen, we are both worse off without each other. You can get help."

Without warning, Jack stood up and practically lets himself fall into Piper, hugging her tightly as quiet sobs escape his mouth. "Really, I can come back, after everything?" Jack asked between his sobs. He had never let himself become this emotional before, save one other time.

Piper gently rubbed his back, allowing him to cry into her shoulder. "You really think I'd deny you from coming back?"

Jack pulled away from the hug, rubbing his eyes and sniffling before sitting down on the couch. "I'm just… I'm too far gone, Piper. I can't go all the way back." Piper sat down next to him, wrapping her arm around his neck.

"Listen to me, Jack," Piper began, grabbing his injured hand. "You can heal. You will be alright. Nobody is… good, do you get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah…"

"And Jack? This… this needs to stop, okay? I don't want to lose you, physically this time," Piper continued, shaking his injured hand in front of his face. He looked down, sorrow painted across his face.

"I know. I'm trying, really. I've never sunk this far before, you know," Jack told her, looking back up into her emerald eyes. "It just seemed like if I wasn't here, everything would be better. Some say it isn't as scary as it sounds… but in reality, I'm just so scared and afraid."

Piper pulled him into another hug. The two talked well into the night, allowing Jack to pour out everything he had bundled up inside. "Blue, why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

"I didn't want to worry you, Piper," Jack admitted.

She chuckled lightly. "You worry me more when you don't tell me as opposed to when you do. Remember?"

Jack nodded before embracing Piper once more with a hug. "T-Thank you, Piper. I'm really trying."

"Alright. Now, you'd look really good on my bed or the couch. Seriously, you look awful, no offense. You need your rest," Piper joked with a smile. "Love you, Blue."

"Love you too, Red," Jack said with his first sincere smile in a long time before lying down on the couch. He pulled out a holotape and slid it into his pip-boy, playing a calming song as he fell asleep.

 _And I wonder where you are…_


	36. 36

_Remember the moment, you know exactly where you're going_

 _Cause the next moment before you know it time is slowing_

 _And it's frozen still and the window sill looks really nice, right?_

 _ **You think twice about your life it probably happens at night, right?**_

 _ **Fight it**_

 _ **Take the pain, ignite it**_

 _Tie a_ _ **noose around your mind, loose enough to breathe fine and tie it**_

 _ **To a tree, tell it "You belong to me.**_

 _ **This ain't a noose, this is a leash and I have news for you: you must obey me."**_

 _You are surrounding all my surroundings, sounding down the mountain range of my left side brain_

 _You are surrounding all my surroundings, twisting the kaleidoscope behind both of my eyes_

 _ **And I'll be holding on to you!**_

Holding On To You – twenty one pilots

[-[-]-]

At some point during the night, Jack had tucked himself into bed right next to Piper; not that she minded at all.

He was lying stomach down on the bed, one arm slung across her chest and a leg crossed over her own. Jack's head laid right next to hers. Piper slowly reached her hand to his head, running her fingers through his hair, just as she always did. She remembered when she first starting showing him the sign of affection; they were sitting side by side on a bench, right before Piper had started to go off on a tangent about the disrespect she often got and her self-doubt. He never rejected the gentle touch, and didn't reject _her_ and what she wanted, no, _needed_ to say. She remembered him telling her that if she tried to not let it get to her, he would try too. But what good did that do? The past week, he had been locked away in a cellar bunker, thoughts running rampant and losing himself every time that helmet was slid onto his head. Piper knew it would take a lot for him to heal, and she'd be there, standing by his side. She would promise that to him.

Piper looked back over at Jack as he lifted his head and smiled at her. His smile could always brighten up her day. "It's good to be waking up next to you again, you know," Jack said, pressing a kiss against the side of her head before rolling over onto his back. "God, I missed you."

"I missed you, too," Piper admitted, letting her head rest on his shoulder. She looked down quickly at his hand wrapped in bandages, frowning for a second before adverting her eyes. Jack must have noticed her looking at it, because he lifted his injured hand into the air. "I told you, it won't happen again. I promise you."

"Don't make a promise you know you can't keep, Jack," Piper spoke, her voice quiet. His hand fell, allowing his fingers to lace with hers before lifting both of their hands into the air.

"And I intend to keep it, my love," he told her, squeezing her hand before standing up. Piper quickly followed him, watching over him like a hawk. He nearly fell over as he stood up, holding onto the wall next to him. Piper grabbed him by his forearm, helping him regain his balance. She pulled him closer, her grip tightening on his forearm as she pressed her lips against his. She smiled as they pulled apart, Jack clearly flustered over the kiss.

"Woah-wow, it's, uh, it's been a while since that's happened," Jack stuttered, stumbling over his words. "Damn. I forgot how great that was."

"You make it sound like we haven't kissed in forever," Piper added, folding her arms, smiling wryly.

"It sure as hell feels like it," Jack replied. Piper let out a rather high pitched squeal as he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up, spinning her around before their lips met once more. As he let her down, he winced in pain. "Scheisse," he swore in German, his arm slung across his stomach and his bullet wounds. "Not a good idea." He grabbed a needle filled with Med-X and winced as he injected it into his side. "Please, be careful, dollface," Piper told him, using the odd nickname for the first time.

"'Dollface?'" Jack asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"You know… because you're pre-war?"

" _Oh,_ gotcha," he answered, stepping down the stairs. Jack flopped onto the couch, yawning. "I want to do something."

"Like what?" Piper inquired, sitting next to him, leaning her head against his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. She traced circular patterns into his chest as he talked.

"I dunno. I kind of want to go back to Pickman Gallery, but I also want to just go back to Sanctuary," Jack explained. Piper's eyes widened as she looked up at him as if he had three heads.

"Pickman Gallery? Jack, we're _not_ going back there. If I recall, that's the last place we went before you lost your mind and decided to hide in a bunker for a week straight," Piper reminded him. No way in hell was she going to lose him again because of Pickman.

"Piper," Jack began, looking into her beautiful green eyes. "I'm going to kill him. And then, maybe, I'll be at least a little relieved."

"Blue, I can't risk-"

"I know, Piper. I know you don't want me to go through that again. I know you cannot risk losing me completely. I get that. But this is something I _need_ to do," Jack tells her, turning so he's face to face with her and able to look directly into her eyes. _The eyes are the window to the soul._ The usual shine that glistened in Piper's eyes faded out as he finished the sentence. She didn't want him to have to go through it all again. _She_ didn't want to go through it again. Piper almost went insane waiting for him to return; whenever one of their songs played on the radio, she couldn't listen to it. When out in public, she would often have to excuse herself. Piper couldn't go back to that again. She begged him to not return back to that damned gallery.

She knew that Pickman would warp his mind all over again.

Jack brushed her hair behind her ear before cradling the back of her skull in his hand, allowing them to touch foreheads. He struggled to keep his lazy eye in order. "I need to do it," Jack told her, earning a sad glare from Piper. "Alright, fine. It is way too soon anyways."

"Thank you," Piper says with a sigh of relief.

"But once I'm healed up, we're going back to the gallery."

[-[-]-]

 _Memories consume like opening the wound_

 _ **I'm picking me apart again**_

 _ **You all assume I'm safe here in my room, unless I try to start again**_

 _I don't want to be the one the battles always choose, cause inside I realize that I'm the one confused_

 _I don't know what's worth fighting for or why I have to scream_

 _I don't know why I instigate and say what I don't mean_

 _I don't know how I got this way,_ _ **I know it's not alright**_

 _ **So I'm breaking the habit, I'm breaking the habit tonight**_

Breaking the Habit – Linkin Park

[-[-]-]

 _-A week and a half later-_

Piper bit her lip as the two approached the door to the gallery. Her rifle shook in her hands. Jack stood on one side of the door, Piper on the other side.

"On three, we breach," Jack whispered to Piper, who hesitantly nodded in response.

 _One._ Piper checked the rounds in her hunting rifle and checked her bag, making sure that she had everything she needed. _Water, ammo, stimpacks, Med-X…_

 _Two._ She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, trying to rid herself of her anxiety. _I'll be fine. He'll be fine. We will be fine._

 _Three._ Jack barged through the door, M1 Garand at the ready. Piper followed behind him, keeping him in her peripherals whenever he wasn't in her main line of sight. There were more raiders in the gallery than there was last time, and surprisingly, they weren't all _dead_ or _turned into goddamn paintings._ The two continued through the gallery, watching each other's backs. They eventually reached the back room that they found Pickman in the first time, to find a small group of raiders. Pickman stood in the back of the room, arms folded behind his back with a shit-eating grin plastered across his face.

"Hey, Killer," Pickman smiled. Piper could feel his eyes on her momentarily, and then on Jack. "I thought I'd see you again. Come back to see little ole me?"

"I'm not here to listen to your bullshit, Pickman," Jack growled, tightening his grip on his rifle.

"A shame. Sic' 'em, my friends," he replied. The raiders that resided by Pickman's side were now storming the two, weapons at the ready and rage in their eyes. Piper fired her rifle multiple times, one of the bullets reaching the head of a raider. Jack had already started fighting the other raiders. The two worked together like a tag team in wrestling. Piper had locked one of the raider's arms behind his back. _Arms don't bend that way._ She kicked him towards Jack, who grabbed him by the neck and head-butted him multiple times. The raider tried to break free of his grip, but earned a kick to the groin and a knife through the bottom of his jaw. Jack pulled the knife out of the man's head with such force that his body did a flip in midair.

Piper smiled to herself momentarily. _That's my Blue._ She ducked when a fist came flying her way. She grabbed the raider's arm, pinning it down on the nearby table. Jack threw his knife to Piper, and with it she stabbed the raider's hand. The raider let out a high pitched scream as the knife pierced her skin and went through the table, leaving her unable to move away from the table. Before the raider could pull the knife out of her hand, Piper kicked her in stomach, pushing her farther away from the table and causing the knife to rip through her hand. Jack shot the raider with his pistol in his outstretched hand as Piper ducked underneath his arm and knocked the gun out of another raider's hand.

Piper blocked all of the oncoming punches the raider threw at her. "Come on, just die already!" he shouted at Piper in frustration. Piper chuckled. "I'm going nowhere, buddy." In the moment of Piper's cockiness, the raider got the chance to kick her in the knee, almost forcing her to fall to the ground. Another raider behind her wrapped his arms around Piper's neck, attempting to cut off the oxygen to her brain. With a swift elbow to the neck, the raider reeled back in pain. The other raider, regaining his composure, swung an uppercut fist at Piper. She could hear the connection of his fist to her jaw. She grabbed onto her jaw, wincing as she set it back in place and taking a moment to catch her breath.

"Did your mother ever teach you to never hit women?" Jack hissed as he gouged his thumbs into the raider's eyes. The raider bent over, shouting in pain. Jack took advantage of that, jumping over his back and delivering a punch to the nose of another raider. Jack locked his hands around the raider's neck, pressing up hard enough on the raider's head that a crack came from his neck. He fell limp to the floor, his head snapping back as if his neck was a bungee cord. Jack turned to the other raider and kicked him in the head, rendering him unconscious.

Jack approached Piper, worry in his eyes. "You good, Red?" Jack asked as he placed his gloved hand on her shoulder.

"Well, I could be better," Piper half-joked, her breath shaky. "But I'm good." The two turned their gaze to the last raider that challenged them. They locked their pinkies before advancing towards the woman that was left in the middle of the room.

She threw a punch at Piper first, to which she caught it and head-butted the woman, her press cap falling off of her head. As the woman tumbled backwards, Jack grabbed onto her head and slammed her down onto the floor. Piper struck the raider in the head with her boot, using as much strength as she could muster. Jack nudged the raider with his boot, checking to see if they were awake or not, getting no response. The two looked up as clapping came from the other side of the room. They had gotten so caught up in beating the absolute shit out of the raiders, that they had forgotten about the main reason why they were in the gallery in the first place.

"Well done," Pickman congratulated them, still clapping. His smile and tone of voice sent chills down Piper's back. _Never_ had she ever met someone so chillingly creepy and insane. _Well, besides Jack… except he isn't really too 'creepy.'_

"Your time is up, you lunatic," Jack hissed. Flames of fury and hatred cloud his eyes. This was a different type of anger.

"How sure of that are you, Killer?" Pickman asked. With great haste, he knocked Jack onto the ground. The anger that had clouded his eyes not too long ago had quickly turned to pure fear. Piper understood now; Jack feared this psycho. Pickman was agile and knew how to get into someone's head. Pickman knew exactly how to get into every opponent's cranium, and it scared her Blue. Piper went to clobber him, but he easily pushed her away before knocking Jack out with little difficulty.

Piper was on her own. Well, at least until he woke up.

Jumping back up onto her feet, Piper swiftly grabbed Pickman's oncoming punch. She pulled on his arm and kicked him hard, dislocating his shoulder. She watched as he tumbled to the floor, grunting. It's the first time Piper had seen the mad man in an 'informal' way. She rushed to Jack's side, making sure he was alright. Without warning, Piper was greeted by a foot to her back, and it _hurts._ "What the…" Piper mumbled, turning over to see Pickman looking down at her. He grabbed onto his dislocated shoulder, and shoved it back into place. Piper winced at the gruesome sound it made.

Standing up, she ducked as Pickman swung a punch at her. Having the lower ground, Piper kicked him in the midsection, causing him to double over. She took him being bent over as an advantage, grapping him by the ears and bring her knee up into his face. His face is absolutely covered in blood. He swung another punch at her, but missed as she ducked out of the way once more. He pressed his arm against her neck and pushed her into the wall. Her vision became spotty as she mouthed, "you son of a bitch," to him. For the first time, she noticed that his eyes had a mischievous look to them, and they sent chills down Piper's spine. With ease, she broke out of his hold and aimed for his throat, but failed in the process. He blocked every one of her attempts, and Piper shouted in pain as he elbowed her hard in the face.

Stumbling away from Pickman, Piper wiped the blood off of her face. While she was distracted, he managed to get a hold of her and throw her across the room, crashing into the table. Piper struggled to get out of the position she was currently in. The broken wood of the table dug into her back through her leather trench coat. Pickman took care of that, though, grabbing onto her arm and launching her into one of the large poles that resided in the room, her spine connecting with the metal. Piper groaned, wincing as her eyes watered from the pain. She slowly got up, moving out of the way as Pickman threw a punch at her, missing and hitting the pole. He nearly screamed at the top of his lungs in pain, so much that it hurt her ears.

Piper reached a hand to her back. _Keep going. Come on. For Jack._ As Pickman goes for her neck again, Piper launches her elbow into his stomach over and over again. She grabbed the knife that laid next to one of the dead raiders and dug it into his stomach before kicking him in the head, sending him tumbling to the floor. She nearly freaks out when she felt Jack's hand on her shoulder.

"Remind me to never get into a hand-to-hand fight with you, Piper," Jack begins, looking over at the discarded psycho on the floor. "Please, take a break," Jack urges her, much to her gratefulness. Jack approached Pickman with a wild smile on his face. He grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall, repeatedly shoving the knife into his abdomen.

As she watched him give Pickman the same fate he did to many other people, Piper could hear him softly singing.

" _We swim against the rising waves and crash against the shore. The body bends until it breaks, the early morning sings no more. So rest your head it's time to sleep and dream of what's in store."_

The calmness of his singing worried Piper. _Please don't go back to last week, please don't._

" _The body bends until it breaks and sings again no more. 'Cause time has torn the flesh away, the early morning sings no more."_

The song he sang were almost like a child's lullaby with a sick and twisted turn to it. _How fitting,_ Piper thought. As Jack let's Pickman's body fall to the ground, Piper can't help but stare at Jack's eyes. The fear is gone and so is the hatred. She can't quite put her finger on it, but Piper doesn't question it.

"Come on. Let's go," Jack says, and Piper doesn't hesitate to follow him close behind after grabbing her hat.


	37. 37

[-]

 _You fell asleep in my car, I drove the whole time_

 _But that's okay, I'll just avoid the holes so you sleep fine_

 _I'm driving, here I sit, cursing my government_

 _For not using my taxes to fill holes with more cement_

Tear in My Heart – twenty one pilots

[-[-]-]

Jack couldn't help but take a glimpse every now and then at Piper. From what he had seen, she had been beaten up badly, yet she was taking it so well. Aside from the occasional grip of her jaw, she seemed to be doing just fine. He had many thoughts running rampant in his head about what he just did, but right now, he was more concerned for Piper.

Piper chuckled, stopping dead in her tracks as Jack took another look at her. "Alright, what is it?"

He stopped as well, turning to face her. "Hmm," Jack began, eyeing her jaw. There was an obvious bruise along the side. He wasn't sure how she could still be talking after the hard hits she got. "…nothing. Don't worry about it." _Yeah, don't worry about it. I'm the worrying one here._

"If you say so," Piper returned. She gave a small smile, and started forward. Jack always enjoyed that easy, small smile that she did so often. After about a half hour of hiking later, Jack couldn't take it anymore. He stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. When she turned her head towards him, Jack took her chin in his gloved hand.

"Alright, I lied. Are you alright, Piper? You took quite a beating back at the gallery," Jack said, concern in his tone of voice.

"Jack, I'm fine," Piper told him. He wasn't convinced; not one bit. He ran his finger along the bruise on her jaw, putting a little force. She winced, but quickly regained her composure.

"You feel that? There's a decent sized bruise there, Piper. And I'm assuming both your back and your knee don't feel any better," Jack informed her, letting his hand fall to his side. Piper looked down, fidgeting with her fingers and then the buttons on her trench coat. He looked down at her hands as she did, noticing the blood, and grabbed them. "Piper, your hands are all bloody. When we get back, we're stitching those cuts."

"Blue, I told you, I'm alright," Piper told him, slowly pulled her hands from his. _Why is she trying to hide that she is obviously in pain?_ Jack thought. "Why are you worrying so much anyways?"

It's Jack's turn to look down at his own feet. He wants to just tell her, _because I love you,_ or _because I always worry about you._ But it's not enough. He took the courage to look back up and into her eyes. "Piper, listen. I know I shouldn't worry so much. But everyone I've ever loved has either died, or left me. And I'll be damned if your name is added to that list." As he finished his sentence, he dipped his hand into his pocket, gripping the two rings that could burn through the fabric.

Piper frowned, but never let her eyes fall from his. "I get that, Jack. But I promise, I'm alright," Piper told him.

" _Sure,"_ Jack said, pulling his hand out of his pocket and crossing his arms. The sarcasm was obvious in his voice. "I'm sure you're absolutely all sunshine and rainbows." At that remark, Piper playfully punched his arm.

"Would you be happier if I allowed you to give me a piggyback ride?" Piper joked around, not expecting him to say _yes_ to her question. Jack told her _I don't care, get on_ when Piper had tried to explain that she was just joking.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me, Jackson," Piper replied.

"You're going to ask sooner or later, so just get on," Jack protested. With a sigh, Piper climbed onto his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. Jack tucked his arms around her legs, and continued forward. "See, this is fun."

Blowing a strand of hair out of her face, Piper retorted with, "You're having fun just because I'm on your back." Jack nearly dropped her at hearing that, but quickly regained his composure and readjusted his one arm that kept Piper in place. He laughed, and then fired back another comment.

"That's far from the truth, my love. I'm having fun because I don't have to worry about you being uncomfortable," he explained as Piper snuggled her head into his shoulder.

"Well," Piper initiated, reaching her hand down to place it on his armored chest. "I can't complain; your shoulder makes a damn decent pillow."

Jack smiled. "Nora said the same thing." For once, Jack could mention Nora and not feel heaviness in his chest. The days where they did nothing but lay down and rest their heads on each other's shoulders quickly flooded his memories, but this time, they brought great delight instead of overwhelming agony. The pair continued down the broken road, leaving each other to their thoughts. As Jack's thoughts began to wander, Piper pressed a silent kiss to his cheek. His mind filled with several things he could say about how much he treasured Piper, and his chest filled with a giddy feeling. He had let that feeling escape him when he left those two weeks ago, and he swore he'd never let it escape again.

The lingering trace of her lips on Jack's cheek slowly faded away. The stillness of the afternoon gradually made him and his thoughts uneasy. The reality hit him that he put a finish to the one individual that added fuel to the flame that was his suffering. He had already begun to heal, what with Piper by his side once more, but killing Pickman? It made him feel somewhat lousy, almost. It was nearly the same realization he gathered after he slaughtered Kellogg. Mama Murphy had explained the outcome; _if you kill the pariah who took your son, know that it won't dull the ache of what's to come, and what has come._ Jack never listened to her words, but she was right. It never resolved anything. It only made him feel more irritated with himself and at the world he found himself in when he figured out that Shaun was the big head honcho of the Institute.

And now, it was happening all over again.

"Jack."

Piper's sudden uttering of his name startled him, pulling him out of his mind. "Yeah?"

"You're thinking, aren't you?" Piper questioned, tapping him lightly on the chest.

"How'd you know?"

"For one," Piper started. "I've accidently kicked you in the leg numerous times and you haven't said anything. And two, you zone out when you think. We went a little bit off the path."

Jack blinked a few times, observing their surroundings. The road had curved, and Jack must have walked straight off it. "Shit, uh, hold on," he told her, turning around and hurrying back onto the road. "Sorry, just kinda… spaced out."

Piper laughed, pressing her lips to his neck this time. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Jack returned the three words that summed up everything he has ever felt for her. After about ten more minutes of traveling, the pair approached the outer alleys outside the wall of Diamond City. Piper hopped off his back, feet crunching in the snow.

"I should go check up on Nat," Piper said. The tone in her voice told Jack that she didn't want to leave him. "You can go ahead and head home, if you want."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll stock up on supplies while I'm here," she explained.

"Alright, please, be safe," Jack said, drawing her closer by the scarf that matched the exact color of her lovely green eyes and pressed his lips to hers. Piper's hand snuck up his arm and eventually reached his neck, deepening the kiss. He went to pull away, but she clawed her way back to him, clutching his hands in hers as their lips met once more. By the time they pulled apart, they were left breathless. Jack smiled, staring into her gleaming, starry eyes. He could drown in the pools of her eyes. He loved how every time they pulled away from a kiss, it would almost render the two of them speechless. He loved even more that her eyes always glistened afterwards.

Piper patted his chest plate. "One hell of a g-goodbye kiss, ain't it?"

/\/\/\/\

 _I've been thinking too much, help me_

 _I've been thinking too much, help me_

 _I've been thinking too much, I've been thinking too much_

 _I've been thinking too much_

 _Help me_

Ride – twenty one pilots

[-[-]-]

Jack never broke that promise he made back out on the road; he would stitch up Piper's cuts on her hands when they got home. Piper sighed, closely watching Jack as he worked on the stitches. She didn't even realize that she fought hard enough to cut her hands open. Curie stood behind Jack, handing him whatever he needed, when he needed it. "Fighting is so unnecessary," she spoke, wincing at the pain momentarily.

"Says the woman who beat the ever-loving shit out of Pickman," Jack said, looking up at her for a second before returning to the task at hand. Within a few moments, he finished up the stitches. "All good. Thanks for the help, Curie."

"Of course, monsieur! Glad to be of assistance," Curie replied before whirring out of the room. She watched her Blue stand up and walk over to his workbench, leaning his hands on it. Piper watched him with a keen eye, never allowing herself to look away from him. Piper was never a stranger to seeing him stand idly at his workbench. Since the two started traveling together, Jack would always be at his workbench, either working on something, or just fiddling with the tools that he used so often. She knew by now that the workbench was a place for him to think, and thinking was _not_ something that was usually pleasant for him.

She crept up behind him, wrapping him up in her embrace. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Just… sharpening my knife," Jack answered Piper's question, looking over his shoulder at her. As their gazes met, Piper smiled. She could be captivated by his hazy blue eyes. _The eyes are the window to the soul._ She saw gentleness, faith, and strength within his eyes. She could see a world where everything was perfect; a world where they could settle down and not have any lingering problems, a world with no threat of impending doom. But that wasn't the world they lived in, and this time, Piper saw confusion and dissatisfaction.

 _Thinking was not something that was usually pleasant for him._

Jack tapped the edge of the blade against the workbench. "I thought it would help."

 _There it is._ "I know," Piper added. She slid in between him and the workbench and squeezed him in her arms. "You were angry. I don't blame you for killing him."

"I just… I wish I listened to Mama Murphy about that before I killed Kellogg. You'd think I would have learned by now," Jack said, gently running nimble fingers through her hair. "But here I am, feeling worse than I did before we went after Pickman. God, I hate myself sometimes." Piper willingly allowed him to ramble on about _oh, how much of an idiot I am_ and _I should have got the goddamn memo._ What else could she do? No amount of reassurance would change his mind, Piper knew. Because he was a destroyer of worlds and destroy his own world, he would do. Piper didn't know how to handle such self-destructive behavior. She herself was the same way. She never had anyone to tell her that she was an acceptable human being, save her sister. All Piper knew was to just tell him that he was valid and that he was worth something. Both were true, but no matter how hard she tried to convince him, he'd always say otherwise. Her words stopped working. And she was ashamed of that.

It amazed Piper how such little things could set him off like this. "Blue…"

"I know. I know I'm worth so much more than I give myself credit for. But it's so hard to convince myself that I am worth it," her Blue muttered.

"Blue, I'm sorry I don't have any words that can really help you but… it's worth it. Everything we've been through, for better or for worse, has been worth it."

Jack pressed his lips to her forehead. "I'm trying."

"I know you are," Piper said, running her thumb across his cheek. "You can do it."

"Thank you," Jack said, looking down for a moment as his hand searched his pocket. When he pulled his hand out, he opened his closed fist to reveal his two rings. Piper's heart skipped a beat. "I want you to have one of them. I'm not proposing and it doesn't really mean we're married, I just… I want you to have it. If anything is to happen between us like it did two weeks ago, or if we get lost and can't find each other, you'll have the ring. To, you know, keep your faith intact." He gently slipped the ring onto her finger. It fit her finger almost perfectly, only being a tad loose. Piper launched herself into his arms, face snuggled into her chest.

"I'm not worthy of this, Jack," Piper said, her voice muffled by his shirt. She pulled away from the embrace and twisted the ring on her finger. "Isn't this Nora's ring, or…?"

"Nope," Jack started, twisting his ring onto his own finger. "The original rings are gone. Destroyed. The only thing left of the old rings is just a pile of dust that has probably blown away by now."

"Why did you…"

"It hurt too much to keep the old ones. I made these ones… they're special," Jack explained. "Take me giving one of the new rings to you now as symbolism. For now, at least."

Piper couldn't process any words. _Words. What are words?_ "I... Blue, I…"

"I love you, too," Jack says with a smile. Piper loves this man.


	38. 38

The radio hummed with gleeful tunes on the desk, drowning out the sound of the pouring rain pitter-pattering on the roof and the occasional creak of the metal walls. Jack sat at the desk, working on paperwork and switching the radio station every few songs. Aside from the lamp next to him, the lit cigarette resting in the ashtray, and the dim light coming from the radio, he was sitting in mostly darkness. With a sigh, Jack flipped the station back to Diamond City Radio. He was about to turn it back to the other station when he heard Travis talking about the usual news, but the topic he was speaking about made him decide against switching.

"Well, folks. It seems to be that 'The Ripper' has vanished from our city. No one has seen him for a week now," Travis started. "Although, six guards were found dead around the Thirty-Yard Bunker, where the Ripper was speculated to be hiding out. The bunker was recently investigated by Diamond City Security, but it seems like whoever was there packed up and left. That's one less thing we'll need worry about here in Diamond City. Now, back to the music, shall we?" With that, Travis's voice cut out and the radio returned to its jolly pre-war music. Scratching his head, Jack went back to his work. He had been working well into the night on schematics for a new house. Their current house was a bunker that only consisted of one huge room. Jack wedged his cigarette in between in his lips as he scribbled down more lines and notes onto the paper, and then erased some lines. _Draw, erase, draw, erase…_ He growled to himself as he pulled the cancer stick from his lips and blew smoke out of his mouth, placing it back down on the ashtray. Jack could just _not_ figure out how he wanted to plan it all out.

Piper strolled over to his chair, pulling her hair out of a ponytail and sliding the elastic band onto her wrist. "Jack… come to bed. It's three in the morning."

At hearing her voice, Jack put his head down on the desk with a sigh. "But I'm almost done with it," he opposed, switching the radio to the other station for the umpteenth time that night. "If I just had a little more time, I could finish it."

The voice on the radio came on, catching both of their attention. _"You're listening to OWT. That's Old World Tunes. Now, back to the music."_ With that, the music started playing. Piper grabbed his hand, urging him to stand up, swaying a bit to the music.

"Oh no, I am _not_ dancing," Jack told her, standing up anyways. "I can't dance to save my life."

"Come on, it'll be fun!"

"At three in the morning?" he retorted, running his free hand through his messy hair.

"And you're just realizing this?" Piper asked, laughing. "I'm not the best either, but it'll be fun either way. Please?" As the chorus of the song started, Jack agreed _but only because it's_ you _asking._ He quietly began to sing along with the music, lips curling up into a smile.

 _Why do you build me up, build me up, Buttercup, baby, just to let me down, let me down, and mess me around?_

Piper clutched both of his hands in hers as she stared up into his eyes, never looking away. The couple stepped away from the desk, the light coming from the lamp still covering them. Jack nearly stepped on Piper's feet, much to his own dismay. "I told you I wasn't good at this."

"Shh," she shushed him. "Don't worry about it, alright?" Jack nodded in response, letting Piper lead until he got the hang of it. "You're doing great, Blue."

 _And then worst of all, worst of all, you never call, baby, when you say you will, say you will… but I love you still._

As Jack took the lead, the two finally began to move in synch with the rhythm of the light-hearted song. Piper's giggles filled the air, mixing with the music that lingered in the room. Jack wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up into the air and spinning her, earning more giggles and a squeal.

 _I need you, I need you, more than anyone darling, you know that I have from the start. So, build me up, build me up, Buttercup, don't break my heart._

As he put her down and took her hands in his, he moved in a silly way, forcing Piper to laugh harder. For once, they could forget about everything and just focus on what was happening now. No Institute, no ghouls, no raiders… nothing. Just them, the hum of the radio, and the rain pouring outside. Jack laughs along with her until the song finally cuts out, and the voice of the radio host cuts back in.

" _Wasn't that one a doozy? Well here on Old World Tunes, we play nothing but doozies. Up next, we've got Maybe by the Ink Spots. A classic,"_ the host says before the song he mentioned comes on. Jack hummed as the familiar rift in the beginning. Without thinking twice, he motioned Piper to come closer.

"You're kidding, Blue," Piper said, giving him a look of bafflement. "Slow dancing?"

"Yes. I'm shit at it but you have made me confident," Jack started. "Now c'mere." Piper listened to what he said, and wrapped her arms around his neck, fidgeting with the ring on her finger as his hands fell to her waist. The two swayed together to the slow and soft sound of the song that played on the radio. Piper's usual scent of ink and newspapers filled his nose. He _loved_ her scent. "You're so special."

"Jack," Piper began, lips curling up into a smile. "Don't make me blush."

"How did the world come up with you?" Jack replied, ignoring what she told him. She looked away shyly before their eyes met once again.

 _Maybe you'll think of me, when you are all alone. Maybe the one who is waiting for you will prove untrue, then what will you do?_

Jack closed his eyes and continued to hum along with the song, much to Piper's delight. Jack leaned forward, allowing his forehead to meet with hers as they continued to sway back and forth. "I love you."

 _Maybe, you'll sit and sigh, wishing that I were near. Then, maybe you'll ask me to come back again, and maybe I'll say 'maybe.'_

"I love you, too," Piper replied, snuggling her face into his shoulder and neck. Jack couldn't help but grin like an idiot. It still amazed him how after all the stuff he had done, she still cared about him. Despite all the blood on his hands and the skeletons in his closet, she was still there. As the song faded out into brief static, his arms snaked up her back and into a hug. As he looked down at her, he realized Piper had fallen asleep. He carefully shifted with her still leaning against him and picked her up bridal style, pressing his lips to hers and then to her forehead.

Jack carefully laid her down in their shared bed before turning the volume down on the radio, peeling his plaid shirt off, and lying down next to her. "Night, Piper." Sleep came easily to him as he closed his eyes and slipped into dark oblivion.

/\/\/\/\

The sound of knocking at the door awoke the two. Jack sat up, yawning and stretching before latching his pip-boy onto his arm and checking the time. _8:32 am, March 3_ _rd_ _, 2288._ The knocking at the door got progressively louder and more consistent. "Yeah, yeah, I'm comin'. Gimme a moment," he mumbled as he pulled on a grey t-shirt over his white tank top. He opened the door to reveal a Minuteman. She was covered in burn marks, and fear was plastered across the woman's face.

"I-I hate to bother you, General, but one of the nearby outposts just got attacked by a rather large group of synths. We could use your help," the Minuteman explained. Her voice shook as she spoke. Jack looked over his shoulder as Piper came up behind him, grabbing onto his hand.

"Of course. Give us a few minutes to prepare, and we'll meet you at the bridge," Jack said, saluting.

"Thank you, sir," the Minuteman replied, saluting back before leaving.

"Looks like our fun has ended, huh," Piper stated as the door swung close.

"That can happen later," Jack said with a wry smile, earning a blush from Piper. "But right now we need to go help the guys out."

"Right," Piper mumbled before pressing her lips to his cheek. Within a few minutes, the two were ready to head out. When they arrived at the Sanctuary bridge, Preston stood with his laser musket in hand. A small group of Minutemen waited, idly chatting and checking their supplies.

"General," Preston greeted, tipping his hat. "Are you ready to head out?"

"Ready," Jack and Piper both said in unison. Luke, one of the other present Minutemen approached them, nodding to Preston before speaking up. He was one of the most loyal men the Commonwealth Minutemen had to offer; Jack was considering promoting him to Preston's rank of officer.

"Great to see you, General," Luke said, shaking Jack's hand before starting forward, the others following him. "We were just scouting out the area as normal when we were attacked by maybe thirty or more GEN1 and GEN2 synths, with a courser leading them. The damned bots killed a few of our men and injured several of us."

"Another courser?" Piper inquired, curiosity yet surprise in her voice. "There was one in Diamond City two weeks ago." Jack looked down for a moment, remembering the events from two, almost three weeks prior. _You were a killer then… not anymore._ He pulled himself from his thoughts; now was not the time for thinking about the past. There were more important things to be concerned about now instead of his mistakes.

"There's been multiple courser attacks throughout the Commonwealth, actually," one of the others spoke up. "A courser hit Goodneighbour just the other day. Luckily the security there was able to stop them."

"Goddamn," Preston mumbled, pausing for a moment. "You know, I wish I knew what the Institute really wanted from such a messed-up world."

"I think you speak for everyone here, Preston," Jack added. "Speaking of which, we need to come up with a plan to take them out."

"We need more strength before we can even begin thinking of a plan," Preston began. "I mean, we have some pretty decent fire power with what we have now, but we're going to need a lot more to take on the Institute. I've been eyeing the Castle- Fort Independence for a while. Perhaps once we get a bit stronger, we'll be able to retake it."

 _Fort Independence,_ Jack thought. He remembered visiting the fort multiple times back before the bombs dropped; for school trips when he was younger, and even with Nora after they got married in 2074. Jack lazily dragged his gloved hand across his face, trying to rid of the exhaustion that made his eyes feel heavy. The more he thought about the _good ole days,_ the more his headache grew and with it, his exhaustion.

Piper gripped his shoulder. "You look tired," she observed, speaking loud enough to be barely heard over the chatting of the other Minutemen. "I told you; you should have gone to bed earlier last night."

Jack yawned. "Yeah… I probably should have," he admitted, scratching the back of his head. "I'm exhausted." For once, it wasn't a lie.

"Hey, Jack… I was curious…" Piper began, fiddling with the scope on her hunting rifle. "What was your family like before the war?"

He swallows. Jack _never_ talked about his family. It was almost a sacred thing to talk about for him. "It was… weird. Odd. Not like any normal family you'd see. My father… Edward. He was a great man. He was an army man just like my grandfather, my great grandfather, and my great, great grandfather before him. He's the reason why I am who I am. My mother- her name was Elizabeth- never cared much for what I did," he paused, uttering a dry laugh. "Sometimes she was a real negative influence on me. But I still loved her."

"Did you have any siblings, Blue? You rarely talk about them."

 _That's the point._ "I, uh… I had a sister and a brother."

"What were they like?" Piper inquired.

Jack sighed. "My sister, Sadie, she became a psychiatrist… She, uh, she helped people who had experienced traumatic events. You know, talked to them about it, helped them get through it… that kind of stuff."

"She sounds like a really great person," Piper added.

"She was," he started, chuckling. "I remember when I came back from the war, Nora had me go to her for help. I felt so weak… going to her, but I had no choice. My PTSD had gotten so bad, that any sounds that even _slightly_ resembled the sounds I heard on the battlefield would set me off. Hell, I don't remember half the things I did after I came back, it was that bad. From what Nora told me, sometimes I'd still be a soldier; barking orders and ducking for cover at the slightest noise." He looked down for a moment, staring at his rifle. "The moral of the story is, my sister was a wonderful woman and she helped me after I came back from the war."

"I guess she did her job, then?"

"Yeah. Well, at least until the bombs dropped and wiped her existence clean off the earth," Jack said without hesitation, despite the dark tone of his choice of words.

"Well, uh… what about your brother?" she asked. Her curiosity was getting to her. _Curiosity killed the cat._

"We don't speak about Jason," Jack blurted out. It was true. No one ever spoke about _Jason._ His… demise, if you'd call it, was too untimely. "They… they never found him." His words confused Piper greatly.

"What do you mean?" she asked, bewildered. Jack sighed in response.

"He went missing. Jason, he… he was also drafted into the army. He wanted to become a musician. His career choice was probably the tamest out of the three of us. Sadie and I's ideas for a career were a little out there. She was never good with people, and my grandfather said I was destined to be something other than an artist. But Jason… music flowed through his bones," Jack explained, pausing for a moment. "He was the youngest of the three of us. He never deserved whatever fate fell upon him."

"When did your brother go missing, Blue?" Piper asked, holding her rifle in her left hand and grabbing onto Jack's hand with her right. He gripped her hand tight.

"Well, he, uh, he was drafted into the army not too long after I was and uh… near around the time I retired, he went missing. No one had noticed… he just, left. He was there one day and then gone the next. They never found a body or any evidence whatsoever that pointed to an explanation as to how he disappeared. They declared him dead in 2075," Jack finished. He released his grip on Piper's hand to pinch the bridge of his nose and to rub his eyes. "Sorry, the topic is just r-really hard to speak about sometimes. Hence why we never talked about Jason after that."

Piper wrapped her free arm around his neck, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Don't be sorry."

"Have I ever told you I loved you, Piper?" Jack asked, a smile forming on his lips.

"Yes, Blue. Many times," she chuckled. "I love you, too."

"Alright everybody, get ready!" Preston called out with a raised voice. "The synths are right around the corner. We have some men holding them off right now, but they aren't going to last. On three, we storm in, and take 'em out. Got it?"

The group responded with a "yes sir," in response. As Preston counted to three, everyone checked their rifles and supplies as if they were a bunch of paranoid heathens; which they _sort of were._ Synths, no matter what generation they were, could still beat the absolute crap out of anybody. And the Minutemen were a great example of that. Being paranoid was just being safer at this point. _One. Two. Three._ As Preston finished counting, the Minutemen stormed into battle, shouting and firing rapidly. Synths fell, their synthetic organs and robotic parts clashing against the ground. Minutemen fell too, their blood splattering across the broken pavement, some even disintegrating into nothing but ash from the laser rifles.

Jack spotted the courser that led the group, pulling out his sniper rifle and lining up the sights with the courser's head. As he shot, the courser went invisible and then appeared next to him, his fist connecting with Jack's head. The sound the connection made rang throughout the area. His vision blurred and he could hear his heartbeat in his ears. Sounds of Piper's shouting pierced his eardrums, shrouding the sound of the heartbeat. Jack blinked and hit himself in his own head a few times with the palm of his hand before regaining his composure. Piper ducked under the courser's oncoming punch, grabbing his arm and slamming her hand into his shoulder. It made a loud popping noise, indicating the dislocation of the courser's shoulder. She turned and faced him, his arm still in her hand. With one swift motion of her other arm against the courser's throat, she managed to knock him over. The loud _crack_ of his skull against the pavement was apparent.

 _Fucking hell,_ Jack thought, finding himself standing still in the middle of a warzone as he watched the scene Piper had created. The whizzing sound of lasers broke his trance. He immediately grabbed his M1 Garand that had been discarded next to his sniper rifle and shot back, the bullets successfully finding their targets. He left his sniper rifle on the ground. Looking over, he found Luke taking cover behind an old barricade. He cranked his laser musket and fired back, only to be bombarded by more and more fire from the enemy. Luke cranked his musket again, not ducking this time.

"Luke!" Jack shouted as a laser beam headed straight for him. Jack ran and tackled him out of the way, but at the price of getting hit in the shoulder with the oncoming laser. "Goddammit, why is it always my bad shoulder!"

"With all respect, sir, what the hell did you think you were doing?" Luke asked, quickly propping Jack up against the barricade and examining the burn the laser had made in his shoulder. "You could have gotten killed!"

"D-Don't… don't w-worry about it," Jack replied with a hiss, biting down on his lip to keep from shouting in pain. He could just barely make out Piper's figure hurrying over to his side as his vision blurred again from the pain. "W-what matters, is y-you're alive."

He shouldn't have spoken so soon.

Jack had barely noticed that the courser was gone from his position on the ground when a loud shot rang out. He left his sniper rifle on the ground. _He left his sniper rifle on the ground._ Luke's blood splattered on the ground behind him. Jack pulled Piper out of the way, holding her in his arms when the shot was fired. He left his sniper rifle on the ground. He fired back without hesitation, not caring if he hit any synths or not. Before he knew it, though, the courser had gained on his position. He grabbed onto the courser by the shoulder and spun him around so that his back was facing him. Jack pulled the courser down, forcing him to look up into the sky with his feet still planted on the ground. Jack wrapped his arm around the courser's neck. He brought his fist down on his chest before making a loud sneer. Jack finally pulled him down to the ground, his skull hitting the pavement once more.

Jack grinned as he loaded numerous rounds into his head, rendering him dead. The firing finally faded out. He looked at all the bodies lying on the ground. He counted more synthetic humans dead than actual humans. They had won. _But at the cost of your best soldier, eh, Killer?_ His eyes turned to Luke, who was lying motionless on the street. He was taking a nap. _No, you imbecile. He's taking a_ dirt _nap._

He left his sniper rifle on the ground.

Piper tugged on the sleeve of his coat, telling him that they needed to go and that they'd come back for Luke later. He felt her lips against his cheek and her hand grip his. He left his sniper rifle on the ground.

/\/\/\/\

Curie hovered at one side of Jack, Piper on the other. He winced in pain as Curie tried her best to treat his burn wound. Piper leaned her head on his good shoulder as he stared off into oblivion. How could he have left his sniper rifle on the ground? He never forgets his sniper rifle. It was obvious that Piper knew he forgot his sniper rifle. Why else would she be telling him _it's not your fault,_ or _don't worry about it._

He needs to remember to not forget his sniper rifle next time.

Jack pulled himself out of thought as he heard the whizzing of a vertibird right outside. Before he knew it, Preston walked in, hands crossed behind his back. A much taller figure stalked in with red messy hair like Cait's who looked way too old to be Cait. She wore a power armor frame which made her seem more menacing. Why did she wear that frame, again? _Oh, yeah, that's right_ , Jack thought. Her legs were crushed after she fell a long fall in her power armor back in the Capital Wasteland. At least, that's what she told Jack when he first met her. She wasn't one to talk about what happened in the past, but only focus on what was happening now.

Ingram spoke up, her voice filled with dominance and intimidation greater than even Arthur Maxson. "Knight, the Elder would like to see you on the Prydwen. I realize you are injured, but this matter is very important."

"Why does the Elder want to speak to _me?_ " Jack asked, surprise in his voice. If anything, the Elder despised of Jack. How significant could he be to his plans?

"That is for Maxson to explain. Meet me in the vertibird, Knight. Take a moment to get ready."

* * *

 _Sorry for the late chapter, my friends! My schedule was a little mixed up, and I stated why it would be late on my Tumblr blog. Chapter 39 will be started almost immediately after this one is posted. Hope you enjoyed!_


	39. 39

Piper felt both great fear and great resentment for Arthur Maxson. He was only twenty, eight years younger than Piper, but the man in front of her and Jack stood with dominance and strength. The way he towered over her with an "alpha male" feeling reminded her of Jack. He stood with the same intimidating dominance that could make a deathclaw flee. The Elder of the Brotherhood stood with his arms crossed behind his back, wearing a look of discomfort and anger on his face. The two men looked on at each other, their gazes equally frightening. It was like watching two alpha mongrels before they began to fight over territory.

Maxson was the one to speak first. His voice held strong, and rage could be heard within his words. "Is there anything you wish to tell me, Knight?"

"Not at all, Elder," Jack answered. "I'm confused, though."

"Allow me to explain, then," Maxson started. "Proctor Quinlan completed the decryption of the data you lent us on the Institute. A portion of his findings include a list of synths that went missing or escaped from their underground facility. After careful analysis of this information, we've discovered something… unprecedented."

"And that would be…?"

"Paladin Danse is a _perfect_ match for one of the synths on that list." _Danse? A synth? No way,_ Piper thought.

"That is not possible, Elder," Jack began. Piper could tell he was upset. "The data _must_ be faulty."

"The findings have been validated by multiple sources," Maxson opposed. "Quinlan wouldn't have brought this to me if he wasn't one hundred percent certain of the results. The data you and the Minutemen gladly gave us included a record of each subject's DNA. We keep the same information on file for all our soldiers. Paladin Danse's DNA is a perfect match for a synth they called 'M7-97.' To make matters even worse, he has gone AWOL. Disappeared without a damn trace. His sudden absence simply reinforces our conclusion that M7-97 and Paladin Danse are one in the same. And I am finding it difficult to believe that he never confided in you and then swore you to secrecy."

"With respect sir, after everything I have done to help advance the Brotherhood forward- after allowing you to help the Minutemen in our fight against the Institute, you have some damn nerve accusing me of lying, Maxson," Jack raised his voice, taking a step forward. Piper cringed slightly at watching the scene. She feared that with tensions high, this discussion could not end well at the raising of voices.

"Huh," Maxson huffed. "Your sudden outburst leads me to believe I've misjudged you." Piper quietly sighed in relief. Even though Maxson could be a real ass, he could also be calm in situations such as these. "Which means I have decided to take you at your word, Knight Schmidt. However, that does not absolve you of your duty. Danse is a synth. He represents everything we hate… a monstrosity of technology. Our mission in the Commonwealth is clear; the Institute and its creations need to be destroyed to preserve our future. Which leaves me facing the most difficult order I have ever needed to give. I am ordering you to hunt down Paladin Danse, and execute him."

Without hesitation, Jack refused. "I won't do it. Danse deserves a chance to explain himself and his actions."

Piper spoke up. "W-What? The man didn't do a damn thing wrong."

"Knight, you and your reporter friend here will do it," Maxson began, his own voice raising. "This is not up for judgment or debate! I am giving you a direct order, and I expect you to follow it without any questions. Listen, I'm not blind to the fact that Paladin Danse was your mentor and this is not an easy burden to bear. But if we're to remain strong, we cannot afford to make any exceptions, even when it means executing one of our own. Find Proctor Quinlan. He has been analyzing the data and should be able to provide you with a starting point. And Knight, there's a promotion for you riding on the results of these orders. Do not disappoint me. You're dismissed. Ad Victoriam."

"Ad Victoriam… sir," Jack replied before turning around and exiting the room. Piper stopped him with a hand on his chest. "What is it, Red?"

"Jack, are you going to be okay with all of this? I know Danse was your friend and all… You seemed really upset about it," Piper asked with concern.

"Y-Yeah… yeah, I'll be fine. I just… I can't believe it. Damn… I wonder if he knew…"

"I can't believe he's a synth either. Well, I mean I can, because well, you know, I've heard him _speak,_ " Piper half joked.

Jack shook his head. "Come on. Quinlan is waiting for us." The pair climbed down to the lower level and reached Quinlan's quarters. He turned to Jack, clipboard in hand.

"Oh, hello Knight. I was told you were coming. I am so sorry about this business with Danse."

"What do you know about the current situation, Proctor?" Jack asked, trying to keep calm.

"While I was decrypting the data you acquired from the Institute, I came across a list. It appears the Institute keeps exemplary records where their synths are concerned, including logging those that have been reported missing. As I was perusing this list, I came across the image of Danse under the heading of 'M7-97.' A quick DNA comparison with our own records confirmed that he was indeed a synth. I'm certain this comes as quite a shock to you, Knight Schmidt. I am sorry," Quinlan explained to him.

"Don't worry about it," Jack replied with a sigh.

"I've been pouring over Danse's duty reports and unfortunately, I haven't found any concrete information," Quinlan began again, setting down his clipboard. "As you are well aware, Danse had intimate knowledge of the Commonwealth and I fear he could be seeking refuge anywhere. I think our best approach would be to identify every location he's ever visited and eliminate them as possibilities one by one. You may want to get comfortable. This could take quite a bit of-"

Haylen stormed in, catching Jack and Quinlan's attention. "What the hell is this bullshit about Danse being a synth?"

"I assume your outburst was a reference to some doubt regarding Danse's identity. I can assure you, Scribe, that my findings are quite accurate," Quinlan answered her suspicions. _Oh, boy,_ Piper thought.

"So he sets Danse up, and then you knock him own. Is that it?" Haylen spat.

"How did you hear about it, Haylen?" Jack asked, crossing his arms.

"There are no secrets in the Brotherhood. Maxson made it clear that we're to locate Paladin Danse and if we find him, we are to report his location to you. That can only mean you've been sent to hunt him down," she explained to him.

"Yes, I have been."

"I cannot believe after everything Danse did for you, you're just going to turn your back on him. There's obviously been a mistake. We need to get to the bottom of it!" Haylen spoke out against Jack.

Quinlan reprimanded her. "Scribe Haylen! You're addressing a senior officer and you will show him the respect that he's due, or God so help me I'll have you brought up on charges! Now, unless you're here with info that can assist us, I suggest you return to the police station immediately."

"Of course," she said, venom still in her voice. "My apologies, Proctor. I believe I have some information that's relevant to the search."

"Very well then, would you care to enlighten us, or do we have to wait until you decide to grace us with your knowledge?"

"Knight Schmidt," Haylen began. "If you'd accompany me to the Flight Deck, I'd like to show you the information I have compiled first hand. I've stored the data on my vertibird gunship's computer."

"Did you have a change of heart, Haylen?" Jack asked, uncrossing his arms. Piper discreetly grabbed onto his hand, squeezing it tightly.

"Just following orders… sir. If you'll follow me?" she replied. Quinlan waved the three off before returning to his research. The two followed Haylen down to the flight deck as asked. Piper still couldn't fully get a grasp on the fact that Danse was a synth. The man had sacrificed so much for the Brotherhood and its cause. It was, in fact, a blind betrayal. No one saw it coming. Haylen stopped dead in her tracks before turning around to face the two. "Do you actually plan on killing Danse, Jack?"

"Honestly, Haylen? I don't know," he answered her question, scratching the back of his head before momentarily gripping his bad shoulder.

"Well, before I tell you his location, I need you to listen to what I need to say. I've known Danse since I was an Initiate," she began. "He trained me, showed me the ropes… and when I screwed up, he taught me to dust myself off and move on. He's earned my admiration, my respect and my friendship. I don't give a damn what Quinlan's report says. I don't care if he's a machine or not. He is still the Danse I always knew."

"Why are you telling me this?" Jack asked.

"Because someone should before you rush off and carry out Maxson's orders without thinking twice about what you're doing," Haylen told him, trying to convince him that killing Danse was not the way to go. "Danse is the most selfless person I've ever met. I've watched him risked his own life based on nothing more than principle alone. That's why I'm asking you… not just as a member of the Brotherhood, but as a human being… give him a chance. Let him tell his side of the story. If you're not convinced by what he says, or somehow he has become truly lost to us, then… you do what you need to do."

"What we 'have to do' is not follow orders given to us by a lunatic!" Piper added. "Danse is no different than the rest of us. We need to give him a chance, Jack."

"You two are right. I'll hear him out," Jack said with a nod.

"Thank you. That's all I ask. I'll just have to trust that when the time comes, you'll do the right thing," Haylen thanked him before informing him of Danse's location. "Anyways, before the Prydwen showed up, Danse had me identify a fallback point if we ever lost the police station. It was Listening Post Bravo, an old pre-war U.S Military outpost on the northern frontier of the Commonwealth. We're the only ones that knew about it, so there's a good chance that's where he has gone. Just be careful, Knight. There's no telling what state of mind Danse is in right now, or if he trusts any of us at all."

"Thank you, Haylen. I really appreciate it," Jack said before turning around and making his way back into the main part of the Prydwen. He gripped his shoulder once more, wincing a bit. "Goddammit. Piper, do you mind if we stop by Cade's before we go?"

"Not at all. Shoulder bothering you?"

Jack silently nodded. Piper had completely forgotten that his shoulder was burned in the synth attack. As the two walked through the door into Cade's quarters, Piper spotted a woman in a vault suit with the numbers _101_ printed on the back in yellow. The woman's blonde hair flowed over her shoulders, and she stood with a hand on her hip as she spoke to Cade. "Blue," Piper whispered. "Is that Albany?" Jack shrugged in response.

"Albany? Is that you?" Jack called out. She turned around and smiled at the sight of the two.

"Hey! What are you guys doing here?" Albany inquired, embracing the two in a huge hug. "It's been a while since we last talked."

"We've got… a mission to take care of," Jack explained vaguely. She didn't ask any questions. "What about you? Where have you been?"

Albany shrugged. "I just thought I could help out the Brotherhood for a while. I did when I was in the Capital Wasteland, so why not help them now?"

"We'd hate to cut this reunion short, but…" Piper started. "We need to grab a few things before we go out on the mission."

"Yeah, we should probably get heading out soon," Jack added. "See you around, Albany."

"See you later!" Albany exclaimed before leaving the room.

"Take care, Knight Fisher," Cade waved to Albany before turning to Jack and Piper. "What brings you here, Knight Schmidt?"

"We just need to stock up on supplies. Stimpacks, Med-X, that sort of thing," Jack explained. Piper squeezed his hand a little too hard, forcing him to wince. "And uh… I need my shoulder to be looked at."

"Very well," Cade agreed. "What happened with your shoulder?"

Jack peeled off his coat and riot armor, along with his grey shirt. The bandage around his shoulder was caked with blood. "Synth attack. Got hit with their damn lasers and burned my shoulder."

"Hmm," Cade huffed as he slowly peeled off the bandage. Piper watched as Jack bit down on his lip. "This is pretty bad, Knight. Why didn't you get full medical attention before?"

"Proctor Ingram showed up at my place of residence while I was getting it patched up. I didn't have a lot of time to get it completely looked over," Jack explained.

"Alright," Cade responded before stepping away and grabbing some gauze from a shelf. He grabbed a bottle of moisturizer and applied it to the burn on his shoulder before loosely stuffing the gauze into the hole the burn made in his skin. Cade grabbed another bandage and wrapped it around the gauze to keep it in place. "That should help. Take Med-X on a regular basis like you would with any other wounds, and if it gets worse, please seek medical attention."

"Thanks, Cade."

"No problem."

With that, the two went on their merry way, off to find Danse.

[-]

 _You say you're not gonna fight, cause no one will fight for you_

 _And you think there's not enough love and no one to give it to_

 _And you're sure you've hurt for so long, you've got nothing left to lose_

 _So, you say you're not gonna fight, cause no one will fight for you_

 _You say the weight of the world has kept you from letting go_

 _And you think compassion's a flaw, and you'll never let it show_

 _And you're sure you've hurt in a way that no one will ever know_

 _But someday, the weight of the world will give you the strength to go_

 _Hold on, the weight of the world will give you the strength to go_

Robot Boy – Linkin Park

[-[-]-]

"Blue, why did you give Maxson the data anyways?"

"It was a part of a deal," Jack began to explain. "The Minutemen needed vertibirds, supplies, and overall more firepower. After I came back from the Institute, I went to the best place to find those things; The Brotherhood. He would allow us to take whatever we needed on one condition; to borrow the data chip and to help with the war against the Institute. But, it looks like Maxson has and will only get one of those things, now."

Piper grabbed onto Jack's hand. She couldn't imagine what he was going through right now. He just lost his best soldier, Luke, and now one of his best friends is a synth that could possibly be slaughtered by the Brotherhood of Steel if they're not careful. She leaned her head against his shoulder and arm as they walked, wrapping her arm around his now. His facial expression was blank. As MacCready might say, Jack was showing as much emotion as a bag of hammers. Piper knew what he was trying to do; act like the soldier he was. She knew deep down that he wasn't okay with any of this.

"I can't kill him. I won't. He's still human to me. It doesn't matter." Piper could feel his shoulders tensing up and noticed his hand curl up into a fist. "I'll do anything under the sun to save Danse."

"Then let's do it," Piper said with a smile as they approached the outpost. Bullets began flying towards them, and Piper struggled to figure out where they were coming from.

"There are two turrets above the door!" Jack shouted over the sound of the bullets whizzing through the air. She aimed her hunting rifle at the turret closest to her and took it out with two shots, while Jack took out the other one with a single shot. They breached the door and quickly made it into the elevator, reaching the bottom floor of the outpost. They found Danse in there, sitting down in a chair with his head cradled in his hands. He looked as if he had been crying for hours. Danse's face was scrunched up into a sad puppy look. It broke Piper's heart to see a hardened soldier so weak and vulnerable.

"Danse!" Jack shouted. He looked up and shook his head. Jack ran inside as Danse stood to meet him.

"Jack… I'm not surprised Maxson sent you, he never liked to do the dirty work himself," Danse told Jack. Despite looking so broken and upset, he sounded and spoke just like he would on any other day.

"Danse, did you know at all?" Jack asked him. Piper stood right next to him, holding onto his shaking hand.

"No. I didn't know. Until Quinlan got that list decoded, I thought synths were the enemy. I just never expected to hear that _I_ was one of them. If it wasn't for Haylen, we wouldn't be having this conversation. So, what are your orders? Does Maxson even want me alive?" Danse questioned. His voice began to shake as he finished his sentence.

"No. He wants you dead. But I hope there is a way out of this, Danse," Jack told him.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"What do you mean?"

"Look, Jack. I'm not blind to the fact that we're good friends and this must be difficult for you. I wish Maxson had sent someone else. But that doesn't change a thing. I'm a synth, which means I must be destroyed. If you disobey your orders, you're not only betraying Maxson, you're betraying the Brotherhood of Steel and all it stands for. Synths cannot be trusted. Machines were never meant to make their own decisions. They need to be controlled. Technology that has run amok is what brought the entire world to its knees and humanity to the brink of extinction. I need to be the example, not the exception," Danse explained.

"Danse, you're as human as the rest of us," Piper added.

"Listen to Piper. The empathy that you're showing me… that's a human emotion," Jack continued, trying to convince him that what he was saying was crazy.

"You've been around this long without turning on us, Danse. You've made your own decisions and you've helped numerous people; you've risked your own life for others. You're as human as the rest of us, even if you were made in a lab and were implemented with a chip in the back of your head," Piper added onto what Jack had said.

"Piper, Jack… I appreciate what you're trying to do. But I've made my decision. I'm ready to accept the consequences of my true identity. Maxson has ordered you to execute me, and I'll be damned if I'm going to stand in your way of obeying his command. Just do it," Danse pleaded. _We are NOT giving up on him._

"I'm not going to kill you, Danse. No way in hell am I going to slaughter one of my closest friends just because some lunatic told me to," Jack refused, dropping his rifle to the ground. "I won't do it."

"I can't believe you'd risk your life just to keep me, a worthless synth, alive. Why would you do that?"

Piper watched as his tough composure slowly fell apart. Jack stared down at his feet for a moment before giving him a solid answer. "I've already lost my family. I've lost the last friend I had that was pre-war. I've lost the best soldier in the Minutemen. Why the hell would I let a friend go just because they're a machine? You're one of the only damn friends I have made in this fucked up world, Danse."

"You're… you're right," Danse admitted, letting go of the breath he had held onto. "How could I have been so goddamn blind? I should consider how my death would affect the people who care about me, like you and Haylen. Perhaps now that you've changed my mind, I can consider my next move."

"Whatever you decide to do, Piper and I have your back," Jack stated, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We're right behind you."

"Thank you, you two, but I have my own path to follow. I need to leave the Commonwealth. It's the only clear choice I have. The sooner I make for the border, the sooner I can put this behind me and start over. Take my holotags," Danse outstretched his hand and grabbed Jack's, placing the holotags in his palm. "Use them to prove that your mission was a success or Maxson will just send someone else to hunt me down. Now, come on. Let's get the hell out of here." The three all piled into the elevator and made it outside. Their fears had been realized when they saw Maxson standing before the outpost.

"How dare you betray the Brotherhood!" Maxson shouted, his eyebrows furrowed and his teeth showing. He did act and look like an alpha mongrel if Piper ever saw one.

"It's not Jack's fault. It's mine."

"I'll deal with you in a moment," Maxson spat, pointing at Danse. "Why has this… this thing not been destroyed, Knight? When I sent you to execute this machine, I suspected you'd have difficulty following my orders. Now that I have arrived, it appears my instincts were correct. What did it say to you that made you betray the Brotherhood? Why the hell is it still alive?"

"He is still alive because you're fucking wrong about him!" Jack shouted at the Elder.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me, Knight! I am your superior!" Maxson snapped back at him. "Danse isn't a man, it's a machine; an automaton created by the Institute. It wasn't born from the womb of a loving mother; it was grown within the cold confines of a laboratory. Flesh is flesh. Machine is machine. The two were never meant to intertwine! By attempting to play God, the Institute has taken the sanctity of human life and corrupted it beyond measure!"

"After all Danse has done for the Brotherhood, and all the blood he has spilled in the name of this organization, how could you say that about him?" Jack spat at Maxson.

"He has been loyal to you and his teammates, and you have the nerve to call him 'it?' You're disgusting, Maxson," Piper hissed.

"I don't need input from a reporter who says the Institute is evil!" At Maxson's attempt of an insult, Piper could see rage build up in his eyes. He took a step towards Maxson, to which Piper put a hand on his chest to stop him before things got out of hand. "Danse is the physical embodiment of what we hate the most. Technology that's gone too far. Look around you, Danse. Look at the scorched earth and bones that litter the wasteland! Millions, perhaps even billions died because science outpaced man's restraint. They called it a 'new frontier' and 'pushing the envelope,' completely disregarding the repercussions. Can't you see that the same thing is happening again?!" Danse looked down at his feet as if he was a child, letting their parent shout at them for something they didn't do.

"You're a single bomb in an arsenal of thousands preparing to lay waste to what is left of mankind!"

"That's insane! He dedicated his entire life to protecting mankind!" Jack growled, his hands out to his side. "Your arguments are crazy."

"Is that what it told you? How can you trust the word of a machine that thinks it's alive? A machine that's had its mind erased, its thoughts programmed, its very soul manufactured. Those ethics that it's striving to champion aren't even its own. They were artificially inserted in an attempt to have it blend in to society," Maxson fought back.

"He _is_ alive, you imbecile," Piper argued.

"I have watched how they create synths… they breathe with the very organs we do, Maxson. Danse is as alive as you and I!"

"It's true," Danse spoke up. Piper and Jack both turned their attention to him as he spoke. "I was built within the confines of a laboratory, and some of my memories are most likely not my own. But when I saw my brothers dying at my feet, I felt sorrow. When I defeated an enemy of the Brotherhood, I felt pride. And when I heard _your_ speech about saving the Commonwealth, I felt hope. Don't you understand? I thought I _was_ human, Arthur. From the moment I was taken in by the Brotherhood, I've done absolutely nothing to betray your trust and I never will."

"It's too late for that now," Maxson looked down at his feet. "The Institute has foolishly chosen to grant you life. You simply should _not_ exist. I don't intend to debate this any longer. My orders still stand."

Danse sighed. "It's all right. We did our best. You convinced me that I was wrong to be ashamed of my true identity and I thank you for it. Whatever you decide, know that I'm going to my grave with no anger and no regrets."

"Touching," Maxson blurted with sarcasm. "Execute Danse, or I will, Knight. The choice is yours."

"After all the damn sacrifices I have made and all the battles I've fought for the Brotherhood, you need to listen to Piper and I. You owe us that much, Arthur," Jack started. A battle was not how to resolve this.

"Very well. I'm listening."

"Whether he is human or not, Danse saved the lives of countless Brotherhood soldiers. It's about damn time you saved his," he told him. It was the truth, but there was more to it.

"You need to show him as much respect as you did while he was still under your command, Maxson," Piper began. "He had done so much for you, and you just throw him out onto the street like an orphan. It's about damn time you show him the respect he deserves, machine or not machine."

"Allowing Danse to live undermines everything the Brotherhood of Steel stands for. Yet you two insist he remains alive," he said, his normal tone of voice returning. "Which leaves me with only a single alternative. Danse, as far as I'm concerned, you're dead. You were pursued and slain by this Brotherhood Knight and your remains were incinerated. From this day forward you are forbidden to set foot on the Prydwen, or speak to anyone from the Brotherhood of Steel. Should you ignore me, know that you'll be fired upon immediately. Do we understand each other?"

"I do. Thank you for believing in me, Arthur."

"Don't mistake my mercy for acceptance. The only reason you're still alive is because of… him. Because of Jack. I am returning to the Prydwen, Knight. Take some time, say your goodbyes, and then I expect to see you there. We have another matter to attend to."

"Yes, Elder," Jack said to him. "I'll meet you on the vertibird." Maxson turned on his heel and headed towards the vertibird. Piper patted Jack on the back and pressed her lips against his cheek.

"Jack," Danse began. "It took a hell of a lot of guts to stand up to Maxson like that."

"Friends take care of each other, no matter what."

"That they do. Which is why I've decided to stay here," Danse spoke with a smile, despite the current situation. "I didn't plan on spending the rest of my days at this old listening post, but it'll have to do. Now, you better get back to the Prydwen. In the meantime, I'll start making this bunker more livable. If you need me, I'll be here."

"Danse, you're welcome back at Sanctuary whenever you wish," Jack reassured him before hugging the broken man. "Goodbye, Danse."

"Thank you for everything that you've done. Farewell. Perhaps the next time we meet, it'll be under happier circumstances."

[-]

The ride back to the Prydwen was a dead silent one. Jack fiddled with his hands half the time, but was stopped when Piper grabbed onto his hands. After they arrived on the airship, Jack leaned up against the wall and slid down it, resting his elbows on his knees. His weapon was discarded to the right of him, and Piper sat down on his left, running her fingers through his matted and sweaty hair. He sighed and allowed her to continue. After all, it was helping get rid of the awful headache that was coming on.

"I can't believe Maxson would do that to his most loyal soldier," Jack mumbled, wiping the sweat from his brow. _It's war, Killer. Not everyone makes it back._

"Well, you saved Danse's life. You did something I don't think many people would have enough courage to do," Piper comforted him, kissing him on the head, despite how gross his hair had gotten due to his sweat.

"Yeah, well I don't feel so hot."

"It's over now, Jack. Danse will be alright; he's safe," she continued to reassure him.

Jack grunted as he stood up. "Wonder what the hell Maxson wants." The two strolled over to where the Elder always stood. "Reporting as ordered, Elder Maxson."

"Before we continue, Knight, I want to make one thing clear," Maxson began as he turned around to face Jack. "This conversation will be the last time we speak about Danse. As far as the Brotherhood of Steel is concerned, he is dead and you executed him. Do you understand?"

Jack huffed. "I'll never understand it, but yeah, I won't mention him again."

"Then consider this a lesson to reflect upon as your service to the Brotherhood continues," Maxson spoke. _My service? You think I'm going to stick around after you wanted me to kill my own friend?_ "Of course, his execution creates a missing link in our chain of command. That traitor held quite an important position with us. I'm certain that you'll make a fine replacement. His quarters and all his possessions are now yours, including his personal suit of power armor. Congratulations, Paladin Schmidt."

 _Nice of you to promote me. I'm leaving anyways._ "Now, we must work on our next move. The Railroad. They must be wiped from the face of this earth. That organization is a threat to our mission. The Railroad wants to free all the synths and let them run amok across the Commonwealth. Your mission is to eliminate them."

 _What? I'm not doing that!_ "Of course… sir. I'll do that now."

"Go speak to Lancer Captain Kells for all the details. Ad Victoriam, Paladin."

"Ad Victoriam." Jack grabbed onto Piper's arm and dragged her out of the room, leading her down to the main deck. As the two waited for a vertibird to show up, Jack paced the floor. "I'm not destroyed the Railroad. I just can't. What about Deacon and Dez? And Tinker Tom… and Drummer Boy? I can't kill them. I can't do it."

"Blue," Piper began stopping him by putting her hands on his shoulders. "First of all, quit pacing. You're makin' me anxious for cryin' out loud."

"Sorry, I pace because I'm anxious."

Piper smiled for a moment and looked down before returning to the task at hand. "You don't need to destroy them."

"I need to leave."

"And you can do that," she told him, taking his cheek in her hand. "You can just completely disappear from their radar. If they question you, just tell them you're taking a break after 'killing Danse.' They shouldn't suspect a thing."

As the vertibird arrived, Jack slung his arms around Piper's shoulders. "Thank you, Red. Love you."

"And I love you too, ya big softy. Now come on, our ride is waiting."

* * *

 _Y'all deserve this long of a chapter after I took a break last week. It's over 5000 words long. Hope you enjoyed as always._


	40. 40

**[-SANCTUARY CEMETERY – MARCH 6** **TH** **, 2288-]**

Jack kicked a small pebble across the ground as he approached the makeshift cemetery behind the bunker. A new grave laid next to the two that already resided there. He was left to grieve over his fallen soldier, for the vertibird dropped Piper off at Diamond City so she could check up on things once more. The hot sun of the day caused the graves to cast a shadow on the ground behind them. Jack's own shadow was casted on the graves before him, contorted and disfigured. He looked over the small cemetery. The grave of two, innocent pre-war people, and a soldier. Each death, his fault. How could he let three people meet their fate under his watch?

He sat down on his knees before the graves, wiping the sweat from his brow. The names were carved into the old wood with his very own knife. _Kendell. Nora. Luke._ He should have arrived quicker. He should have taken Shaun instead of her. He shouldn't have left his goddamn sniper rifle on the ground. One little mistake, one little wrong move and it costed him the life of three people he cared about. Their meaningful lives pulled away at the most unfortunate moment, and because of his stupid choices, he was still here and not them.

 _Come on, Bullseye. It isn't your fault. Please, don't let yourself go down that road again. You're finally starting to get better._

Jack nearly jumped at hearing her sweet, beautiful voice once again. He looked down at the picture that rested beside her grave. He picked up the photo of Nora that resided inside of a frame. He remembered the day it was taken; hell, he was the one who took the photo. He held the frame close to his chest as if he were a child holding a plush toy. With a sigh, he gently set down the frame back where it belonged before standing up.

 _At least you saved Danse, Killer._

As Jack looked up, he saw a mischievous Pickman standing on the other side of the white picket fence, arms crossed behind his back and blood smeared on his tan suit. At this point, he wasn't surprised. He lived in a world where insects were twenty times too large and the people of this new world had completely given up common decency. Hell, he even saw, or well, hallucinated the ghost of his late wife. Having an encounter with a crazed sociopathic murderer that was supposed to be dead wasn't the weirdest thing he had seen in his five and a half months of being in the Commonwealth.

"You're dead," Jack spoke out loud, but got no response from the ghost. He simply stood there with the same off-putting grin and wild eyes that struck fear in him before. _We're both alike, Jackson. Remember that._ Before Jack could open his mouth, the ghost disappeared without a trace. The voice inside his head that was usually his inner voice contorted to match Pickman's momentarily. _See you around, Killer._ Jack shook his head as he slowly walked away from the cemetery. He felt a cold hand touch his shoulder, sending shivers down his spine. Jack nearly jumped once more.

"Hey, take it easy, kid," Nick appeared in the corner of Jack's peripheral vision. "You're a bit jumpy. Somethin' up?"

"No, I'm, uh, I'm fine," he began, turning to Nick. He eyed the spot where the hallucination of Pickman previously resided. _Just a hallucination. That's all it was._ "I'm just- I'm just tired."

"Why not get some rest, then?"

"I would, but I need to help with the building of the new house," Jack explained. "I'll get sleep later."

"Don't overwork yourself, Jack," Nick warned him. "We all know how that plays out." _Yeah, I know._ Jack gave Nick a quick nod before passing him and going over to the building spot. The settlers and Minutemen that had volunteered to help already had built the raised foundation and the porch on the front. They were working on putting up the walls. Jack spotted a few men and women underneath the raised foundation and in between the poles that held it up, setting up generators and connecting them together to produce power.

Jack unbuttoned his plaid shirt and pulled it off, leaving him in his tank top as he grabbed the necessary tools and begun to work alongside everyone else. The radio played tunes that were all too cheery for the world they lived in. Minutes turned into hours, and before they knew it, it was already mid-afternoon and they had put up three sides of the wall. Everyone decided to take a break. It was slowly getting cooler outside as the day gradually slipped away, and Jack hoped he'd be able to finally get his sleep that he needed. He returned to his old home, the memory of the scent of coffee and cooked bread that always lingered there returned to him. _Don't be afraid. We're going home._ He passed through the old pre-war house, noticing all the fine details; the cracks in the wall, the discoloring of the wallpaper, the scattered objects in the kitchen, and the flickering light at the end of the hallway. The house flashed momentarily to its former glory, and then back to its somewhat decrepit form.

He sauntered into the bathroom that he had fixed up, one hand on the dilapidated door frame and the other running through his hair. The light flickered on as he closed the door behind him, leaning up against it momentarily. He peeled off his dirty clothes, setting them to the side before turning on the faucet in the shower. _Thank the lord we got hot water, now._ For being in a post-apocalyptic world where everything was limited, Jack and the people of Sanctuary had it quite easy when it came to hygiene and personal care.

He waited until the water was almost boiling hot before cautiously stepping in under the showerhead, reeling back for a second at the heat of the water. He was so used to being cold all the time that the heat came as a surprise to him. Jack pulled the curtain over; not like it would help anyways. The curtain had several burn holes in it and the bottom corner was ripped. He let the hot water cascade over his body and washed off all the dirt and grime that had built up for so long. The water seemed to wash away everything that he had done and rid of it through the drain below. The water flowed through his once fluffy and now wet hair. It felt soothing on his head, that had been aching since he was on the Prydwen.

As he turned off the faucet and stepped out of the shower, he could hear anxious footsteps outside the door. _Great. Probably Preston, wanting me to help him fend off some synths or some shit again._ Jack quickly dried himself off with towel that lay discarded on the counter. The room flashed to a distant memory. In the corner of his eye, Nora stood leaning up against the wall. _"You're gonna knock 'em dead at the Veteran's Hall tonight, Bullseye."_

" _You think so?"_

The memory quickly flashed away, and Jack found himself leaning against the counter for support. His PTSD finally had started to get better, with the episodes happening seldom. As he began to regain his composure, he dried off his wet and damp hair in a fast-paced manner. The footsteps outside continued to cross back in forth in front of the door. Jack let out a heavy sigh as he wrapped a towel around his waist and ran his hand through his hair one more time before stepping out into the hallway. A pacing Piper nearly ran into him. Her eyes were red and puffy and she was clutching onto a piece of paper.

"Piper, what's the matter?" Jack asked in curiosity. She was silent for a second before shaking her head and giving him an answer.

"Blue… T-They… they t-took Nat," she began to explain. "T-they f-fucking kidnapped her."

His voice boomed with sudden anger. "What?! Who took her?"

Her voice was quiet and small as she spoke. "R-Raiders. They attacked D-Diamond City w-while I was t-there and m-managed to grab N-Nat. They l-left this note." Piper handed him the paper with a shaking hand.

The paper read: _"Hey fewl, we got yer lil sis. U want her back then come to Cambridge and find our base. U don't find her in the next 24 hours and we cut off her hair. Bring caps to. -Anonomuss."_

"They could have at least used proper grammar," Jack half joked. Piper gave him a look that said _this is not the time for fucking jokes, you goddamn asshole_ and proceeded to cover her eyes with her gloved hand. "Sorry. Let me get ready first- going to fight raiders in a towel would not be the best idea to act upon." Piper gave a weak smile as he stepped into his old bedroom. When he came out, he was in that damned sniper outfit that looked like MacCready's duster and _that_ helmet was in his hand.

"What are you doing?" Piper questioned him, taking the helmet from his hands. Jack noticed how misty-eyed she had become since he stepped out of the bathroom.

He sighed before explaining. "I know, it looks bad. But I need to scare these raiders somehow."

"Jack," Piper began, shaking her head. "You're intimidating enough without the gear." She was trying anything in her power to convince him to leave the Ripper gear behind.

"Piper."

"Jack."

"I'll be fine. I promise," Jack reassured her.

Piper wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a tight hug. "You better, Jackson."

 **[-CAMBRIDGE – MARCH 6** **th** **, 2288-]**

"Goddammit, why the hell did we decide to come here in the dark?"

"Piper, do you really want them to _shave off Nat's hair?"_ Jack asked her in a whisper, his voice filtering through his voice changer to sound deeper. When he got no answer, he replied with, "That's what I thought. The dark will give us an advantage on the raiders."

The two quietly creeped through Cambridge, looking for the raider outpost that was mentioned in the note. When they finally did, they could overhear two raiders talking.

"I'm gettin' restless. Where the hell is that reporter with our goddamn caps?" one of the raiders asked.

"Just be patient," a feminine voice replied. "If we cut off the girl's hair now, I don't think we're going to be getting any caps in return."

"Stay away from my hair!" Nat shouted at them.

"Shush, you miscreant!" the female raider shouted back at her.

"We need to go in now," Piper told Jack, tugging on his sleeve.

"Alright. We go in on three. I take out the raiders, you get to Nat," Jack explained. Piper nodded in agreement. _One. Two. Three._ They barged in through the door, and they both immediately started firing on the raiders. Piper ran over to where Nat was being held captive while Jack supported her with covering fire.

The deep blue lights in Jack's helmet turned on as one of the raiders threw a punch at him. Jack grabbed his arm and twisted it before hitting him over the head with the butt of his pistol. The raider let out a cry, to which Jack silenced him with a bullet to the throat. As he fell to the ground, blood poured out of the wound in his neck and soaked the earth below his body. Jack stepped over the body of the raider and advanced towards another one that decided it was the best idea to slug the Ripper in the jaw of the helmet. Jack turned his gaze back to the raider that punched him and grabbed him by the throat.

 _Sic' 'em, Killer!_

Jack looked to the left to find the ghost of Pickman once again, watching the scene he had created with curious eyes and a hideous smile that sent chills down his spine. _Go to someone else's head._ The raider took the chance to headbutt Jack and free himself of his grip. "Nuh-uh-uh." He kicked the raider in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain. With a swift axe kick to his head, the raider fell to the ground, unconscious. The female raider Piper and Jack had heard speaking before ran after him, throwing multiple punches at him, to no avail. Jack blocked every punch she threw at him, and headbutted her with the forehead of his hard helmet.

 _We definitely are alike, Killer. Both of us out here in the Commonwealth, cleaning the streets of its scum raiders. Well, mostly you now. Cause you killed me. Heh._

The raider reeled back from the hit, but she quickly tackled Jack to the ground and tried ripping off his helmet. Another raider came over and happened to shout, "It's the Ripper!" With that, the raider that straddled his stomach had fled, but before she could completely get away, Jack grabbed her ankle and pulled her down into the mud. He rose above her and pressed his boot on her neck until she finally quit trying to squirm out from under his foot. He loaded an entire clip from his pistol into the dead raider's body for good measure before loading another round into another threatening raider.

 _Was it morally correct to end me? I was simply just helping you rid the world of these heathens. We're no different._

Piper appeared out of the corner of Jack's eye with a crying Nat by her side. Another raider came running towards them. "Nat, close your eyes." She did what Jack had told her as he grabbed the raider by the throat and threw them up against the wall of a building. He grabbed their head and smashed the back of it into the brick wall. Jack pulled out his knife and slashed up the raider countless times, covering his sniper jacket with blood. When he was finished, he carved an R into the chest of the raider, just as he did to those poor security guards weeks before. He let the body fall lifelessly to the ground.

 _Good. Now, you really need to get some of that rest, Killer._

Jack looked over to where the ghost once stood, to only find that he had disappeared. He turned his attention to the two girls. Piper was apologizing repeatedly to Nat through tears for not being able to protect her. Nat was also hysterically crying, her arms wrapped around her big sister. Jack pulled off the helmet and the sniper jacket and stuffed both into his bag before approaching the two sisters and wrapping them both up in his arms; Piper on his left, and Nat on his right. He pressed his lips against Piper's head and ruffled up Nat's hair, trying to get the two to calm down. It started raining while the two were bundled up inside the half-destroyed building.

"Nat," Jack began. "Do you want to come with us to Sanctuary and stay with us for a while?" Her face lit up like the morning sun at hearing his offer.

"I-I'd love to!" she exclaimed while wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. Piper smiled as well, grabbing onto Jack's hand.

"Alright. It's a plan. But, we should probably wait until morning so we don't get caught in the rain."

The two nodded in agreement, and with that, they all huddled into a corner and fell asleep, covered up by one of Jack's many, many jackets.


	41. 41

**[-SANCTUARY – MARCH 7** **th** **, 2288-]**

Nat's jaw dropped the moment she set foot into Sanctuary. "So, this is where you lived before the war, Jack?"

Jack ruffled up her hair with his hand while Piper clung to his right side. The three strolled through the busy settlement, introducing Nat to the settlers and showing her around. Half way through Nat's tour, Jack allowed her to jump on his back for a piggyback ride while they continued, Nat squealing the entire way and Piper laughing right along with her. Once their tour was over, the three made their way over to the house in progress, surprised to see that the settlers and Minutemen that had been working on building it had finished the house.

"Afternoon, General!" one of the Minutemen greeted. "If you'll allow me, I'll show you the inside."

Jack looked over at Piper momentarily with a smile before nodding towards the Minuteman. "Of course," he answered as Nat hopped off Jack's back.

"We moved in all of your stuff from the bunker, but we weren't sure where everything should've gone. So, feel free to move things accordingly," the Minuteman explained. He brought them throughout the house. It had much more than their teeny bunker they had lived in previously. It had a bathroom, a spare bedroom, and his own bedroom was an actual _room_ instead of being one singular room. The Minuteman saluted before leaving the house to the three.

It was nice to have a _real_ home again.

"Convenient they built a spare bedroom," Jack thought aloud. "Spare bedroom is all yours, Nat." At that, she pulled him by the sleeve into the spare bedroom before shutting the door.

"Jack," Nat started, whispering. "You said that when I got the chance to visit here we could shoot the railway rifle."

"You're right. We'll do that later, kid. I promise," he told her, earning a squeal and a 'thank you' from the younger Wright sister. "Now, your sister and I have to move some things around. Go ahead and do whatever you want." Jack smiled as he followed her out of the spare room and watched her trot out of the house. God, he missed family life. Those three years spent with Nora and those five or so months he spent with both Nora and Shaun was the best time of his life. And he hated that he would never know what true family life felt like ever again. The wonderful feeling of getting home from volunteering and entering a home filled with scents of coffee, newspaper and that one indistinguishable home scent were just a distant memory now.

He momentarily looked over at Piper with a smile. He didn't really need family life anymore, though. He'd manage.

Jack crept up behind her as she moved things around and slyly wrapped his arms around her midsection. "You know, I almost forgot about it but- yesterday was our two-month anniversary."

"We can never catch a break, can we?" Piper replied as she carefully placed a vase filled with hubflowers on her desk. "At least Nat is safe."

"Hmm," Jack mumbled in agreement, moving his arms to around her shoulders. "There isn't exactly a balanced work-to-relaxation ratio here." Whenever they did get the chance to relax, something would _always_ come up, and it would _always_ get in the way of everything. They missed Christmas due to those damn ghouls in the Church. They missed Valentine's Day and their one month anniversary because of his imprudent, unwise decisions. The two had lost so much time worth spending with each other.

 _That was all on you._

He knew it, too. It wasn't Piper's fault that he decided to drag her to that old church and play outdated music on a piano. It wasn't her fault that Jack couldn't keep his damn head on straight. "I'm sorry I screwed up our last month's anniversary."

Piper wiped her thumb over the glass of a frame that contained a photo of Nat before looking up at him. "That's behind us now, Blue. Don't worry about it, alright? Thoughts like that are what screwed you over before."

"I know… I just- I just feel bad."

"You feel bad about a lot of things, Blue," Piper jibed, setting down the framed photo. "You still feel bad about that one time I got shot in the knee during one of our many adventures?"

"YES! I DO STILL FEEL BAD ABOUT THAT!" Jack exclaimed, causing Piper to laugh.

"You're cute when you're angry, Blue," she admitted, turning around to face him and poking him in the chest.

"I'm not cute," he argued, running a hand through his hair.

"Come on, you gotta admit, that was cute. You're cute."

"I'm a man, Piper."

"Cute," she singsonged as she continued to spruce up her desk.

"I, am a man," Jack continued to argue before Piper silence him with a kiss on the mouth. And like that, the entire world crumbled like a pre-war pastry. He was amazed at how she had that power over him- to completely mesmerize him with a single, swift action. The kiss surprised him, but he quickly caught up with her and returned it. As they parted, Piper's lips curled up into a smile before she sat down at her desk and continued to arrange things the way she liked.

A devious smile grew on Jack's face. "Hey, Piper," he began, leaning up against her desk and crossing his arms. "If I told you I liked your body, would you hold it against me?"

"You've gotta be kiddin' me, Jackson. Pick-up lines?" Piper chuckled, shaking her head.

"Do you know what I did last night?"

"What, sleep in a decrepit building while it was pouring in the middle of Cambridge?" Piper joked.

"Well, yeah but- I looked up at the stars, and matched each and every one with a reason why I love you," Jack threw out another pick-up line, that stupid yet lovable grin still on his face.

"Okay, that was fricking sweet, Jack," Piper told him, her face turning a deep red.

"If I had one cap for every time I thought of you, I'd have exactly one cap," Jack began. Piper gave him a look of confusion before he continued. "Because you never leave my mind."

"Aw, Blue-"

He interrupted her with yet _another_ pick-up line. "Of all the beautiful curves on your body, your smile is my favorite." _I love her smile._ "You know, the ocean is beautiful, and so are your eyes. I could drown in your eyes."

"Aww, stop it Blue, you're makin' me blush."

"Wait, wait, one more," Jack said, pulling out a piece of paper and clearing his throat. "I wrote your name in the sky, but the clouds blew it away. I wrote your name in the sand, but the waves washed it away. I wrote your name in my heart, and forever it will stay."

"Oh, come hear ya big softy," Piper chirped, standing up from her chair and pecking him on the lips before squeezing him in a hug. "You're a dork, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know," Jack paused and kissed her softly on her head. "But I'm your dork."

"Touché."

"I love you, Pipes," Jack whispered. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"I love you too, Blue."

The two pulled apart, despite not wanting to let go. Jack creeped over to the refrigerator and pulled out a few bottles of whiskey and a few beers for Piper. He set down all the bottles that were bundled in his arms before throwing her one of the beers. He laced his fingers with Piper's, leading her to the couch and sitting down next to each other. "C'mon, Pipes. Let's make the most out of the time we have."

"Of course," she returned with a smile, cracking open her bottle and taking a sip while Jack did the same. "How can you even _drink_ that?"

"I used to hate it, but after drinking it for so long you get used to the smell and the taste," he explained as Piper leaned her head on his shoulder. "Still tastes like it did before the bombs dropped."

"It still amazes me that you're pre-war, Jack," she spoke in that _soft, gentle_ voice that he couldn't get enough of. _Still amazes me, too._

"It still amazes _me_ that I was stuck in a refrigerator for two-hundred years." It was the truth. It seemed like being cryogenically frozen for more than two-hundred years was something from the legends books; just a myth, a story to entertain people. The pain and suffering of a man, out of time, for a reader who would never _ever_ deal with the same melancholy. Yet here he was, the man out of time that would just be a simple work of literature in the old world, sitting next to a woman who was born into this horrible wasteland and never knew anything else, unlike him. Here Jack was, living in this world, but not of it. Sometimes he hoped that this world was all a goddamn dream; a figment of his screwed-up imagination. _A story._ Yet his hopes were always let down. Every. Single. Damn. Time. Sometimes, he just wanted to go home. He wanted to see his neighbors again. He wanted to see the friendly faces of the people at the volunteering center. He wanted to see _Nora_ again. _Leaving this world isn't as scary as it sounds._

But that would just be too damn easy, wouldn't it?

Well, at the very least, he had someone by his side again. And maybe, just maybe, it was all worth it.

 **[-]**

It was only _8:00pm_ and somehow Jack managed to chug down four bottles of whiskey, while Piper was still on her first beer.

"Blue, quit drinkin' so much," she said between stifled laughter. He was putting on quite the show with his drunk ramblings. "You're drunk."

"I'm not drunk," Jack retaliated. "I'm just intoxicated by YOU. Besides, I don't- I don't get drunk. I g-get awesome." Piper set down her bottle on the end table, still watching him with curious eyes. She'd stop him and put him in his bed to rest, but this was too damn funny. He had managed to find a mask that was, as he called it, a chicken mask. He wore it on top of his head like a regular hat, while still drinking his whiskey. He nearly fell over as he pranced around the room. "Okay, maybe I am a little drunk… but I'm not as drunk as I used to was."

"Blue-"

"I-I-I'm, I've been cheeeatin' on you… with a, with a guy named, oh god, what was his damn name, uh… Morgan! Morgan. He's a frickin' captain, Piper," Jack sputtered, his works beginning to slur.

"Blue, you're slurring your words," she said, standing up. "I think you should probably go lay down."

"I-It's not called shlurring yer wordsh, Pipesh. It's called talkin' in curshive. And it's fuckin' elegant," he argued. "My godsh… it's only 8:30 and I'm already wasted. Piper, you're so drunk when I'm pretty."

"Uh, thanks? I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment."

"You know… I've had eleventy twelve bottles of alcohol," Jack continued to slur, grabbing onto the wall.

"Honestly, I could believe it, Blue," Piper said as she tried to hide her laughter with her hand.

"A-Alright, I'm gonna sing you a song, Pipesh," he declared, before grabbing an empty bottle of whiskey and holding it as if it were a microphone. "T-Thish one goesh out to my two beshtesht friendsh in the whole wide world! Piper, and," he paused for a moment, grabbing a bottle of Nuka-Cola Quantum. "…this freakin' Quantum. It's a little somethin' I like to call… WHISKEY!" With that, the intoxicated man stumbled and hit the floor, mumbling random nonsense.

"Blue!" Piper hurried over to his side and pulled the bottle from his hands.

"I... I didn't fuckin' fall. The-uh, the floor just… just needed a h-hug," he said before finally passing out. Piper shook her head, chuckling to herself. _Always getting yourself into trouble, aren't ya, Blue? You're lucky I love you._ She stood up and tucked her hands underneath his arms, attempting to drag him all the way to his bed.

"Dammit, Blue… why did you have to pass out on the floor? Why not on the couch?" Piper grumbled out loud. She continued to tug on his arms, eventually being able to drag him into the bedroom. And now, she was faced with yet another dilemma; getting him on the bed. She rested his back up against the frame of the bed and jumped onto it, yanking on his arm, hoping to not pull it out of its socket. After about twenty minutes of pushing, shoving and pulling, she finally got him on the bed and covered with a blanket. Piper pulled off the mask that was on top of his head and threw it on the ground, too exhausted to properly put it away.

Piper curled up next to him after pulling off her hat. "Night, Blue."

 **[-SANCTUARY – MARCH 8** **th** **, 2288-]**

The sun shone in through the window, waking the two up.

"God, I have the worst headache," Jack complained, rubbing one of his temples.

"Yeah, of course you would. You got stinkin' drunk last night. You remember, Blue?" Piper explained, leaning on his shoulder.

"I remember some of it… what did I do?"

"Well, for one, you said that slurring your words was actually called talking in cursive. And you said, and I quote, 'it's fuckin' elegant,'" she continued to explain.

"Fuck," Jack groaned, grabbing his pillow and covering his face with it. "And can you quiet down a bit? You're almost shouting."

"Blue, I'm almost whispering," Piper told him, laughing. "Wicked hangover, huh?"

"Goddammit, why do I do this to myself?" he grumbled, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"Don't worry, dollface. It was fun."

"Oh yeah, like that makes me feel any better. Were you drunk too?" he questioned.

"Well, uh… no," Piper began. "Actually, I never finished my first bottle."

"Grrrrrreaaaaaat."

"You had four bottles of whiskey, Jackson," she told him, pulling the pillow off his face and began to gently scratch his head.

"I have a high tolerance."

"Like hell you do," Piper jibed. "Do you want some water or something?"

"Hell yes, my mouth is so damn dry," he answered her. "And make sure Nat is in her room, too. I hope she wasn't outside the entire time."

Piper nodded and stood up, grabbing her coat and wrapping it around her frame. She gently rubbed Jack's back momentarily before stepping out of the room. She took in the crisp air that flowed in through the open windows and went to the fridge to grab a bottle of purified water. Before she returned to the comfort of her and Jack's shared bedroom, she peeked her head into Nat's room. She was fast asleep in the bed, arms wrapped around her pillow with drool pooling below her. Piper chuckled silently to herself before returning to the bedroom.

Piper was going to enjoy this new house.

* * *

 _Have some fluff._

 _While I'm at it, here is some shameless self promotion for newer readers. If you haven't checked it out yet, I run a blog on Tumblr! My blog is cloudsaysthings, and I have a sideblog for Jack, as well that goes by the name of unstableknives. I do hope you take the time to check them out. Thank you._


	42. 42

**[-SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY – MARCH 18** **th** **, 2066-]**

"How does it feel to be _nineteen,_ N?" Jack grabbed Nora by her hands, bouncing around on the balls of his feet to the beat of the song that was playing. _Gun metal green, prettiest that I've seen. I've nothing to hide, and you've nothing to hide._ He had perfectly planned the party out just for her. He wanted to make this one _special_ before he broke the news to her; he would be going into the army. Jack had only gotten the letter a few days prior. He could see the words every time he blinked. Being drafted into the Resource Wars was something everyone feared; it was suicide. _It's war. Not everyone makes it back._ Jack would go to Fort Hagen for training in July right through to December of 2067, stay home for a few months, and be shipped into combat in 2068. He'd be able to work on getting caught up with college those few months he would be home and could finish it once he returned from war… if he ever did.

But for now, he just needed to smile. Forget the world and focus on Nora, on the party, and make her birthday as special as it could be. Jack wouldn't dare ruin her birthday with that news.

Nora almost had to shout over the music. "It feels great!" _I'd trust you at the wheel even if we're going down. Our love is made of steel, last us 'til the underground._ "I can't believe you actually put this all together, Jack. God, I love you."

Jack smiled widely. God, he was so in love with her. He had fallen helplessly in love with the woman the moment he saw her after picking up that lighter. _Steady and surreal in a world of lost and found…_ What did he ever to do deserve such a delightful, brilliant, beautiful person? If he could, he'd go on for hours about her. "Not as much as I love you, my dear," he half-whispered as he bent over slightly to press his lips gently to hers before tightening his grip on Nora's hand. "C'mon." He tugged on her hand with the intentions of her following him. They half jogged, half walked throughout the halls of the building and up the stairs, humming to the music as they went along. _Took out the trash, paid my bills all in cash. Nothing to hide, and its summer outside._

"Where the heck are we going?" Nora panted as their jog turned into a full-on run. "I'm supposed to be a lawyer, not a runner."

"You'll see," Jack answered vaguely. Eventually, they reached the door that lead to their destination; the roof. Nora shot him a look of confusion, to which Jack grinned. He loved how they could have conversations with only facial expressions. He turned to the door, trying the doorknob to realize that it was locked. Luckily, he came prepared; he rustled through his pocket, grabbing one of his sister's bobby pins and a screwdriver before kneeling in front of the door. He picked the lock with ease. _We don't need a key, we were already free, cruising along to a Mexican song._ As the door swung open, Jack watched as Nora's jaw dropped open. He had made an entire picnic under the stars for her; her dream date.

Jack grabbed onto her hand once again as he shut the door behind him with his foot, muffling the music that played in the halls of the building. A new song filled the air, bringing back memories from merely a year or so prior.

 _I was walking along, mindin' my business, when out of the orange colored sky… flash, bam, ali-ca-zam! Wonderful, you came by. I was hummin' a tune, drinkin' in sunshine when out of that orange colored view… wham, bam, ali-ca-zam! I gotta look at you._

"Oh, my gosh," Nora said with a gasp, taking in the sight of it all; the dimly lit candles, the vases of flowers, the pattern on the blanket… "H-How…"

"Jason and Sadie helped out," Jack admitted, sitting down on the blanket. Nora joined him, wiping a threatening happy tear from her eye. She sat in the V of his legs, resting her head on his chest as they took in the beautiful view that the top of the building had to offer. The light of the moon and the stars combined gave off enough light to just barely see the skyline of Boston and to illuminate the area around them.

"Happy birthday, Nora."

 **[-SANCTUARY – MARCH 18** **th** **, 2288-]**

 _When I'm away, I will remember how you kissed me_

 _Under the lamppost back on 6th street_

 _Hearing you whisper through the phone,_

' _Wait for me to come home_.'

 **[Photograph – Ed Sheeran]**

The torn and tattered bottom of his coat swayed in the breeze. He knew this day was coming soon. He told himself he wouldn't let it get to him, but it did. It did anyways. Jack held that _goddamn lighter_ in his hand that Nora had given him those many, many years ago. He had gotten over her death, dear god he did- if finally accepting his feelings for Piper meant anything. But today, the fates knew just how to get under his skin, _just like N used to, except in a good way._ Jack flicked the lighter on, only for the flame to immediately die out. The makeshift cemetery he lingered in for the second time this month flashed to his university hallway. His eyes met with her blue hazel ones, and a sorrowful smile grew on his face.

" _Is this your lighter?"_

" _Yeah, it's mine."_

" _Well, uh- h-here, I found it j-just lying here."_

" _No, please keep it. It's brought me lots of good. The name is Nora, by the way."_

" _Jackson."_

" _Well, it's most certainly a pleasure to meet you, Jack- If it's alright for me to call you that."_

" _G-Go ahead. Everyone does."_

The hallway flashed back to reality. The lighter in his hand that had been _oh so_ polished and perfect just a second ago was now rusty and dirty once again. Jack ran his thumb over the metal plating, wiping the dirt and grime off it. It was a shame he couldn't clean off the rust. Nora had always said it was lucky; but didn't seem to have any luck in the Commonwealth, even with the lighter always on his person. He had contemplated getting rid of it just like he did with the original wedding wings- but he would never be able to do that.

As he looked down at the lighter and back at Nora's grave, he could hear soft footsteps behind him. Jack pulled off a thin piece of fabric off his coat and tied it around his right thigh, wedging the lighter between his thigh and the fabric. He gave a weak smile as Piper joined him. He always did that; smiled when he was sad. Nora always told him he did that.

 _You did it much more than you realized, Bullseye._

Piper pecked his cheek and squeezed his hand in reassurance. She didn't need to be told whose grave this was or why Jack was there. "You holding up alright, Blue?" Piper asked in a quiet tone. She looked and sounded a lot like Nora today. _Of course, she would._

 _You know, despite how much we look alike, I doubt we'd really get along._

Jack shook his head in response. "She- she would have been thirty-one today."

"What was she like, Blue?" Piper asked, leaning her head on his shoulder.

He chuckled before giving her an answer. "You two look a lot alike," he began. "But I don't think you would get along too well with her."

"Why do you say that?"

"Her opinions and outlooks on things and morality was weird. In a world like the one we're in now, she wouldn't really care about the wellbeing of other people. Well, maybe should would to a certain extent, but wouldn't take the time to help someone if they took time away from her goal. But she believed in justice- she was a lawyer after all," he paused with a sigh, running his hand through his hair. "Whereas you value helping everyone." There was so much more he could say about her, but it would take too long. _Oh, my GOD_ did he love her. She was the first one who he truly loved. He was never one for romance before he met her.

And after Nora's death, he thought he'd never fall for someone again. _Won't you come around and prove me wrong?_ But that's what Piper did. She proved him wrong. So, very wrong.

"We met in college," Jack began again. "I had just moved into my dorm and her lighter must have fallen out of her pocket near my door… It's weird how bonds can be made over insignificant objects, ain't it?"

Piper nodded silently; she was wise enough to be silent during the most appropriate times. Jack grabbed onto her hand again and squeezed it tightly. "I miss her sometimes. Her crazy laugh whenever I told her a joke, her bright smile when she woke up in the morning… and how could I forget- her height. She was so short that I could rest my elbow almost on her head," Jack lowered his head, chuckling and picking at a rip in his glove. "Nora was like that feeling of waking up in the morning after a well needed eight-hour sleep. You know- that light feeling of exhaustion still there but you feel so refreshed, and new? She- Nora was like that."

"Sounds like you really loved her, Blue," Piper acknowledged, kicking a small stone to the side.

"I did. I really did," he said, covering his eyes with his hand. "We… we had our arguments and disagreements. When I came back from the war, I changed _a lot._ And, well, I hate to admit it, but our marriage almost did fail at one point after I returned."

Jack knew that Piper noticed he was slowly breaking talking about it. "Blue-"

He went on anyways, despite her attempt to make him stop and take a breath. "I remember she drove me to a mental institution and told me that being there was the best thing for me. I-I don't remember," he paused, trying to catch his breath that had become shaky and sharp. "I don't remember _any part_ of being in that nuthouse. It's all a blur. I-I sometimes g-get a r-random flashback t-to being in there, and it's horrifying. C-Can you imagine reliving s-something you never truly experienced?"

 _I'm so sorry I made you go there. It never really did help, didn't it, Jack? Either way, karma did come back for me…_

Piper inserted herself under his arm and clung to his side to comfort him. "T-That's horrible, Blue… I-I'm so sorry you had to go through that," she began. She'd do anything to make sure that never happened to him again. "I don't want to p-push it, and feel free not to answer this but… didn't you go see your sister for your PTSD?"

Jack went on willingly, despite how threatening the tears were to spill. "Y-Yeah, I-I did. Nora, she… she picked me up from the mental hospital one day and called up my sister. Next thing I know, she drove me to her office- because my PTSD was so bad that I couldn't drive- and I slowly got better over time…"

 _And you did get better. For a while._

He rubbed his eyes after finishing his sentence. Piper detached herself from his side to give him a proper hug, letting him fall into her arms. "I miss her so much, Piper," he spoke, nearly hysterical.

"It's alright, Blue," she comforted him, running nimble fingers through his hair like she always did for him. And at this point, that's all Jack really needed; her hand carefully running through his fluffy hair and the other wrapped around him. It's all Jack would ever need. _You're the strength I need to fight. You're the reason I still try._ Jack tightened his grip around Piper, his fingers clutching onto the leather of her trench coat; not that she minded. Eventually, he let go of her before he squeezed her death and wiped his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"Piper, I don't know if I'd still be alive without you," Jack admitted. "I probably would have ended up dying, one way or another." _Come on, Jack- don't imply that._

"Don't say that, Blue," Piper said, running her thumb along his cheek. "You'd make it. I know you would."

He laughed in response, grabbing her hand. "We're super dependent on each other, Red."

"Touché," she admitted, pulling him closer and carefully pressing her lips against his. He softened to her touch as her hands rested on the sides of his arms, allowing himself to calm down. She could always make him feel calm and safe, no matter what the hell was happening.

"Mmm," Jack mumbled as they parted momentarily. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Her lips almost seemed to burn his as they met again. Jack could feel that wonderful giddy feeling rise in his chest he got whenever he was with Piper. As he placed a gentle grip on her waist with his hand, he could feel her shiver and noticed that the corners of her mouth turned up slightly into a smile. God, did moments like this make him just want to _scream._ It seemed like hours, days, months, years before they pulled apart. As his gaze locked with hers, he took the time to appreciate just how _gorgeous_ she truly was.

"You know, there was one bad thing about Nora being short," Jack began, rubbing his hands together while trying to regain his composure. "I had to lean over super far to kiss her."

Piper wrapped her arms around his neck, laughing in response. "You always know what to say, Blue." She slowly pulled her arms away from his neck, patting him on the chest, and just in time; Preston approached the two, folding his arms behind his back as he stopped. _Oh no._

"Yes, Preston?" Jack asked as he wrapped his arm around Piper's waist.

"Two ghouls just arrived. They mentioned that you 'used to live here in Sanctuary.'"

Jack and Piper swapped looks before he nodded. "That's odd… alright, I'll go see what they want." He grabbed his rifle that he had propped up next to the gate of the cemetery and slung it over his shoulder. The two ghouls in question were standing at the bridge, where two Minutemen stood, watching them. From what he could see, it was a man and a woman; a couple. Their clothes were tattered and dirty, and they looked like they hadn't eaten in days.

"J-Jacky boy, is that you? How are you still a smoothskin?" the man asked.

"Look at us! We're ghouls!" the woman exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

"How do you two know me?" Jack questioned them, keeping his hand on his rifle.

"How could you _not_ know us?"

 _Wait a second,_ Jack thought. _I know that voice._ "Mother? Father?"


	43. 43

**[-]**

 _Now, it's your turn to be alone_

 _Find a wife and build yourself a home_

 _You have learned, way too soon, that your dad is now the Pantaloon_

 _You are tired, you are hurt, a moth ate through your favorite shirt_

 _And all your friends, they fertilize the ground you walk_

 _Lose your mind_

 _He's seen too many stare downs between the sun and the moon_

 _In the morning air, how he used to hustle all the people walking through the fair grounds_

 _He's been around so long he's changed his meaning of a chair now, because a chair now is like a tiny island in the sea of all the people who glide across the very surface that made his bones feeble_

 _The end can't come soon enough, but is it too soon?_

 _Either way he can't deny he is a Pantaloon_

 **[The Pantaloon – twenty one pilots]**

"Mother? Father?" Jack spoke, his voice sounding like he was a child again. Dropping his rifle on the ground, he wrapped his arms around his now ghoul parents for the first time in two centuries.

"Yes, it's us, Jackson," his mother said, accepting the hug. "We've been here so long, traveling through the Mojave and then D.C."

"Please, tell me everything," Jack said, motioning at his parents to follow him and grabbing Piper's hand. He led them to the house that him and Piper shared. "Go ahead and take a seat."

"I don't know if you remember, but your mother, sister and I all were in California for a vacation," his father began to explain, sitting down on the couch with his wife. "The bombs dropped while we were there… We tried to get into the nearby Vault- Vault 21. But they didn't let us in, and we all turned into ghouls."

Jack's face lit up, and Piper discreetly yet subconsciously laced her fingers with his. "Sadie became a ghoul?! Is she still alive?"

The ghoulish parents both lowered their heads at hearing his question. "N-No, s-she didn't. Well, she d-did become a ghoul, that much is true," his mother spoke, her leg bouncing up and down. "But she became feral shortly after. I-I'm so sorry, Jack."

Piper felt him let go of her hand, balling it into a fist. He let out a shaky breath, his brow furrowing. A realization washed over Piper; this was the only family he had left. He lost Nora, his brother, he lost Shaun to the Institute… hell, there was no doubt that any of his extended family or friends died due to the bombs. This was _all he had left._ She was astonished by how he had lost so much- even before the war- and was still kicking. Her smile from earlier finally faltered and faded into a frown. This poor man could never get a damn break. Every time he came even relatively close to getting the break he so rightfully deserved, it would be taken from him.

And now, his sister was _dead._

His mother stood up and approached him, arms wide. Jack gave her a glare. "All due respect, Mother, but please, don't touch me."

"But Jack-"

"Liz," his father called from behind her. As she looked back at her husband, he gave her a look similar to Jack's. "Leave the boy alone, alright? He doesn't like to be touched, remember?" With that, Jack's mother sat down without a word. It struck odd with Piper; who doesn't want a caring embrace from their mother? She knew that his mother wasn't the best parent. _Surely_ , she wasn't any worse than what he had described to her.

Besides- Jack was, for the most part, okay with contact like hugs from the people he cared about. The only time he denied any such contact was after he had a PTSD episode. And she was sure that wasn't what was happening.

His voice went down an octave. "And of course, Jason's body was probably blown all to hell," he affirmed, shifting all weight to one foot and looking down, almost in submission to his parents.

"Jack," his mother started, causing him to look up. "Could we not speak about your brother?"

"My apologies," he paused, looking down again, but keeping his eyes on his parents. "…Mother."

"Actually, before we went for our vacation in the Mojave, a detective re-opened his case. It's a shame they couldn't dig anything up," his father explained.

Jack blinked multiple times. "Wait- they re-opened his case? Why wasn't I aware of it?"

"Your mother was supposed to tell you, but she never did. She claimed she still wasn't over his disappearance."

"Jack, why don't you tell us about what happened to you?" his mother said, trying to change the topic. Jack gladly allowed the topic to be changed, not arguing.

"We were put into Vault 111; Shaun, Nora, and I," Jack began, pulling up a stool to sit down on. "They told us we were just stepping into the decontamination pod for a moment. I never thought we'd be in there for two hundred years."

"What? They froze you? Damn those Vault-Tec eggheads," his father said, leaning forward in the couch. Jack nodded before continuing.

"Sixty years before I got out, these two-strange people marched into my vault, unfroze me and Nora, and they took Shaun," Jack paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. Piper gently rubbed his back with her hand, lightly gripping his shoulder every now and then. Jack's parents stayed silent, listening to story. "Kellogg, his name was- like that old cereal brand from the early twenty-first century- came in and murdered my Nora, and his assistant took my son."

Piper could obviously see he was distressed by talking about it. After all, it was Nora's birthday. _What a way for them to rub the salt further into the wound,_ she thought. "Jack," she began, tugging lightly at his arm. "You don't need to explain if it's hard to."

"Come on, let him talk, would you?" his mother told her, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Are you serious? Can you not see that explaining this is hard for him? Not to mention it's his late wife's birthday today?" Piper argued. Jack grabbed her hand, placing it down on his thigh and patting it.

"Piper," he said, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Don't worry about it."

"But Blue-"

"It's alright." _But it's_ not _alright, Blue._

"Go ahead, continue," his mother told him.

Jack did as he was commanded, staring at his feet momentarily before doing so. "Turns out, they took Shaun to the Institute- I assume you know who they are- and used his DNA to make all the synths. He's the big head honcho of the Institute, now."

"Son of a bitch," the ghoulish father whispered. "Have you made any advancements against the Institute?"

"Yes, I have. Or, I should say, we have," Jack said, rubbing his hands together while Piper fiddled with a loop on the back of his ranger riot coat. "The Minutemen and I have taken the time to watch how their GEN1 and GEN2 synths operate, and have destroyed numerous groups of them. I've also helped out the Railroad by helping them free GEN3 synths."

"Wait, the Minutemen have reformed?" asked his mother with curiosity.

"Yes, ma'am," Jack said, giving her an answer reluctantly. "A-And they wouldn't be back on their feet without me."

"Huh. They're a lost cause, but I suppose you leading them is better than anything," his mother stated with a hint of passive-aggressiveness, leaning back in the couch and crossing one leg over the other.

"Good for you and the Minutemen!" his father exclaimed despite his wife. "The Commonwealth needs back the one group that actually tried to return it to its former glory." Jack smiled for the first time since his parents returned at his father's comment.

"Hey, wait- isn't that young woman Piper Wright? From Publick Occurrences?" asked Jack's mother. His smile faded at her question.

"Why, yes I am," Piper answered, folding her arms behind her back. _Guess it's true; it's the worst people that read my paper. Guess it's for the better, though._

"Your works are very insightful, Ms. Wright," she admitted. _Wow. First nice thing she's said today._

"Thank you, Mrs. Schmidt. Others would think differently, though."

"Why is that?"

"Oh, you know," Piper began, her habit of using her hands to talk showing. "The natural stereotypes of reporters comes into play; nosiness, obnoxiousness, etcetera, etcetera. Which, in a way, I am all of those things but for a good reason. They want blatant lies instead of the truth. I'm just lookin' out for them, but they don't dare to listen most of the time."

"That's a shame. Say, what are you doing out here?" she asked her.

"Well, I-"

"Piper accompanies me around the wasteland, finding new stories to write about," Jack explained, standing up from his stool and straightening out his coat. "Now, I'm afraid I have to cut our reunion short. I need to continue uh… working on t-the plans for t-taking out the Institute. Find one of the Minutemen and tell them who you are. They should be able to escort you to one of the many houses still standing here." The two parents stood up, Jack's father embracing him in a hug before heading out the door. "Take care, Mother, Father."

Jack swiftly closed the door and watched as they left the house, taking in a deep breath and exhaling. "Thank God."

"Blue, what was that? You let your mother completely put you down!"

"I know," Jack admitted, moving the stool back to its original spot. "She's intimidating as all hell."

"Jack, you didn't tell me the whole story about your mother, did you?" Piper asked him, placing a hand on his chest. "She seems like an awful person."

"She is not, Piper."

"Jack, that woman came in here, forced you to talk about something that is difficult for you to speak about, called the group you have done all you could to rebuild a lost cause, and bossed you around like you were still a child," Piper told him. He lowered his head once more. "And that was another thing; you acted in submission. You _let_ her do that. Jack, this isn't what a mother is supposed to do. I would know…"

"She has always been like this, Piper," Jack told her. "I'm used to it."

"No man should have to fear their parent, Jack. No parent should judge their child like she did today," she continued. Piper knew deep down that he knew how his mother treated him was wrong; he didn't want to admit it. "And you could have told her we were together. When I said that we should keep it a secret and let people figure it out-"

"Piper, she would have torn you apart if I told her that," Jack finally broke out of his shell.

"What?"

"When I first introduced her to Nora, she was all nice and friendly like she was to you about your paper," Jack started to explain. "After she found out we were together, she treated her like shit. And at one point, she called her out on some stupid lie that she had slept with other men while we were together. She'd try to ruin our relationship, Red."

"Jesus Christ," Piper whispered, and this time, she was the one to look down. "You need to stand up to her, Jack."

"I know," he whispered. "I know I do. But she'll find a way to break me down either way. She always did. She knows my scars almost as well as you or I know them. She'd use 'em against me."

"Does your dad know how awful she is?"

"Yeah. I remember he wanted to get a divorce, but she scared him into not doing so. She emotionally baited him. Told him that if he left her, her damn depression would get worse and she'd end up dying," Jack explained. "She scares him like she scares me. He can't do anything about it. My dad has trauma from being in the army, and he can't handle the emotional abuse like I can."

"Blue, I'm so sorry. You can never get a break, can you?" Piper said, pecking him on the lips and pulling him into a hug.

"We're going to half to be careful in public now, y'know."

"Then let's take advantage of our time, shall we?" she suggested, a smile forming on her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"We shall," he returned, pressing his lips to hers momentarily before pausing to switch on the radio. _Imagine me and you, I do. I think about you day and night, it's only right._ "Oh-hey, I love this song." Jack sang along with the song as he danced goofily, making Piper giggle. She really loved this man.

 _-To think about the girl you love and hold her tight, so happy together. If I should call you up, invest a dime and say you belong to me and ease my mind. Imagine how the world would be, so very fine… So, happy together._

" _I can't see me lovin' nobody but you, for all my life! When you're with me, baby the skies'll be blue, for all my life,"_ Jack sang, eventually getting Piper to sing along with him. _"Me and you, and you and me. No matter how they toss the dice, it had to be. The only one for me is you, and you for me, so happy together."_

Eventually, the tune died out along with the bright sky, night taking over and a new song playing on the radio. _I never cared much for moonlit skies, I never wink back at fireflies._ "Two good songs in a row," Piper commented as she hummed along with the tune. _But now that the stars are in your eyes, I'm beginning to see the light. I never went in for afterglow, or candlelight on the mistletoe. But now, when you turn the lamp down low, I'm beginning to see the light._

"I love you," Jack whispered, leaning his forehead against hers. _Used to ramble through the park, shadowboxing in the dark. Then you came and caused a spark. That's a four-alarm fire now._

"Love you, too, Blue," she said, twisting the ring he gave her out of symbolism behind his neck. _I never made love by lantern-shine, I never saw rainbows in my wine_. _But now that your lips are burning mine, I'm beginning to see the light._ The words repeated once more, but the voice of one of the Ink Spots was traded in for Ella Fitzgerald. _I'm beginning to see the light, boy. Beginning to see the light, boy. Beginning to see the light. Now that your lips, they are burning on mine I'm beginning to see the light!_

The song cut out, swapping for the usual instrumental soundtrack that played when the host spoke. _"I've gotten word that a certain vault dweller is doing pretty well for themselves. It's not often that a vault dweller leaves and doesn't go running back to the comforts of their comfy home. Stay safe out there, my friend, and enjoy the music while you kill some super mutants or mole rats. Now, here's_ Ain't That a Kick in The Head _by Dean Martin for your listening pleasure."_

As Jack's hand creeped down to lightly grip her waist, the song began playing and it left him with a smile on his face. "It sure is, Dean. Sure is." His lips crashed with Piper's, and the world around them shattered.

The last thing the radio spewed out before Jack kicked the door to their room closed with his foot was, _Tell me quick, oh, ain't that a kick, tell me quick ain't that a kick in the head?_


	44. 44

**[-SANCTUARY – MARCH 19** **th** **, 2288-]**

The house was completely silent when Piper awoke, all but the sound of hushed singing coming from outside of her and Jack's shared bedroom. Rubbing her tired eyes, she rose from the comforts of the warm blankets, slipping into a tank top and an old pair of rundown jeans before making the bed. Piper shivered as she grabbed one of Jack's flannels that had been laying over the back of the chair, wrapping it around her frame. It was a little too big; so much so that the sides hung down lower than they were supposed to. She ran a brush through her hair before catching on to a wonderful scent. The scent of coffee filled the air, even through a closed door. The singing outside of the room continued, and she recognized it as Jack's voice. During the five or so months she had known him and the two months they had been together, she learned that he had a great love for music; especially the music that never got popular before the war. Piper always caught him humming or quietly singing a tune every now and then. She'd come to like his little musical quirk- besides, his taste in music was amazing.

Piper took a moment to listen to the song he was singing before leaving the comforts of their room. _Hey, hey. Wouldn't it be great, great, if we could just lay down, and wake up in Slowtown? Today, day, I want to go away, way. 'Cause things are too fast, now. I want to be in Slowtown._

As she walked through the door into the main room, the smell of cooked food and coffee permeated her nose. She took in the remarkable scent while listening to her Blue go on. He usually stopped singing aloud whenever she was around, but oddly enough, he continued. _I put my socks on my feet, just so that my soul won't fall through my toes. And I walk through my door, just so I don't fall through the floor._ Her Blue seemed to glow in the dim lighting of their home. _You're the moon in my night sky._ He had transitioned from singing to softly humming, giving the room a peaceful undertone.

He continued to cook at the oven, a warming smile painted across the face that Piper had grown to love. Even after the events of the day prior, he seemed to have completely pushed it out of his mind. It was just his dead wife's birthday, and to deepen the wound, his emotionally abusive mother was still alive and bitter. But to him, it didn't really seem to matter now. Yet, she knew that he was stuffing it all deep down. She knew him well enough to know that that was what he did when he was upset about something, such as this.

 _Hmm,_ Piper thought. _At least he has his mind on something else for now._

"Hey, trouble," Piper chirped, running her hand through his hair and smiling at him as he turned his head towards her. "What's for breakfast?"

"Leftover deathclaw steak," Jack answered, pressing his lips to Piper's forehead before continuing to cook. "Sleep well, Red?"

With a shy look down to her feet and back to him, she said, "What do you think, Blue?"

Jack chuckled, tapping his fingers against the counter in rhythm of the song that he had been singing. "Well, uh, I'll take that as a yes, then." He turned around to face her, leaning up against the counter and taking a sip of coffee. Piper couldn't help but get lost in his eyes. They were as hazy blue as she imagined a clean, pure ocean would look like. His eyes were so sharp they could pierce your soul like a knife, but they were gentle at the same time; a beautiful yet deadly blend- a porcupine, lovable yet prickly. His gaze could intimidate even the most ruthless deathclaw, and tame all the world's radiated and mutated creatures. And Jack's eyes could snare Piper up in his trap; they could tame her.

Piper focused on one of his scars; it was a relatively new one. It started right above his left eyebrow and ran down onto the bridge of his nose. She was surprised that she could even catch it; it was extremely small and barely noticeable. It had faded so much since he got it when those Diamond City guards had attacked him outside of the Thirty-Yard Bunker so many weeks prior. She wished she could heal some of those scars that told countless stories of war and suffering. And she knew that, the smart-ass her Blue was, he would go, _well you know, most women find scars attractive._

 _I mean,_ Piper thought as she continued to study his scars, _he's not wrong._ But she'd prefer him to not relive an awful experience every time he looked in the mirror at his scars.

The longer she drowned in Jack's ocean-blue eyes and her eyes lingered on his features, the closer she inched towards him. Eventually, she mustered up the unneeded courage to run her hand through his hair, despite doing it an endless amount of times before. Her hand slid down and lingered on his cheek and jawline, forcing both to smile like dorks. Piper traced her thumb over the scar on his lips that ran down onto his chin. All the while Jack allowed her, to her own surprise. Oh, _my god_ did she want to close the empty space between them, but she resisted against her own urges. That old feeling returned to her as she stared at his lips, at his eyes, and back to his lips again; the feeling of being so weightless like a single bullet or tin can. She felt like she did prior to their relationship; naïve, weightless, yet so restrained.

She couldn't wait any longer, for before Jack could even get the words "I love you" out, Piper desperately closed the voided space between them, the music that had begun to play meaning nothing to neither of them. _With my art, and your art to instigate a change of heart. And your heart, and your mind, and your body next to mine…_ Their lips fit together as perfectly as they always did. _Like two parts, face to face, and the whole falls into place, all as one, all as one, all as one…_ She held his face in her hands while he pulled her even closer with the belt loops of her worn down jeans.

They paused momentarily to catch their breaths. With her dominant hand, Piper pushed Jack up onto the counter in a sitting position with force and ease. She ran her hand through his hair again, forcing him to lean forward as their lips met once more. He tasted like coffee and chapstick (which he had started using because his lips had become so chapped) and he smelled like his usual Vault 81 cologne, gunpowder and the natural worn leather. His scent intertwined with her own, (ink and newspapers) forming the perfect mixture- just like they were. Every sharp breath they took when they briefly paused was perfectly in synch with each other's breath. _Just breath._ Piper placed a hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat in her palm. Her hand snaked up his shoulder and behind his neck. She cradled his skull, her fingers lingering on his hair line. Piper could feel him shiver at her touch.

The two finally pulled away from each other, breathless as their foreheads touched. Piper could finally stare longingly into his two blue oceans that were his eyes without seeming creepy. "What I was trying to say," Jack began with a smile. "Was that I love you."

"And what I was trying to say, if you didn't realize it from that, was that I love you too."

As Jack stood up from the counter, he pressed his lips to her forehead before returning to his cooking. "Scheisse," he swore under his breath. "Good thing I caught it in time, or else we'd have charred deathclaw steak."

Piper chuckled to herself, now being the one to sit on the counter. "And I thought you said you did all the cooking?"

"I did. Nora couldn't cook to save her life," Jack explained, turning off the oven. He ran a hand through his hair and rested it on the back of his neck. "She loved to cook, though. Even if she burnt half the things she made."

Piper watched him as he pulled out the deathclaw steak, twirling a strand of jet black hair around her finger. She jumped off the counter, patting her Blue on the shoulder. Knocking on Nat's door and slowly opening it, she called out to her younger sister. "Hey, you awake, sis?"

Nat pulled the covers off her head, peaking out at Piper. "It's too early to be awake," she groaned before covering up her head again.

"Jack made deathclaw steak," she singsonged. "You've been buggin' me about wanting to try it for a while now." At that, Nat had jumped out of bed and was already out the door in the matter of seconds. She watched with a smile as Jack handed her a plate and sat down at the table. He handed Piper a plate, kissing her on the forehead, and they all sat down at the dining table. And then, it was serene.

Calm.

It was an odd feeling. For once, Piper got the sensation of being in a _family._ Not a perfect one by any means, but it was enough for her. Just her Blue, her sister, and nobody else. No scientifically advanced heathens, no numbskull raiders, no controlling parents. Just them and them only. And she could live with that. Perhaps one day, when the threat of the Institute is gone and everyone can live without constant fear, they could settle down; become a real family, without a care in the world. But for now, this would do. And that was okay with her. And so, they ate as a family, and chatted as a family. Despite all the _bullshit_ her Blue had to deal with, he was genuinely smiling while Nat told stories about her adventures- or rather misadventures- in school and the trouble she caused.

While Nat was still talking, Jack laced his fingers with Piper's underneath the table. At the gentle grip of his hand, her smile grew wider as she watched the love of her life and her sister chat the morning away.

 **[-SANCTUARY – MARCH 20** **th** **, 2288-]**

Nat jumped up and down frantically by Jack's side as he loaded the railway spikes into the railway rifle. "You thought I forgot about this? I don't break my promises, Nat. Are you ready?"

"Ready!" the younger Wright sister exclaimed, sitting down in the chair that resided next to him. Jack looked down the sights of the rifle, aiming at the target that sat twenty feet away. As he pulled the trigger, the spike shot out of the barrel, creating a whizzing sound as it whirled through the air. It hit the target with a loud _thud_ and tore through the back of the makeshift target, hitting a tree. He placed the rifle down against the wall of one of the rundown houses, grabbing Nat's hand and bringing her to the target.

Kneeling beside it, he pointed to the hole in the target. It was only a few inches away from the bullseye dot. "See that, Nat? That spike went right through it," Jack said before standing up and grabbing the spike from behind it.

"Woah," Nat marveled at it. "Piper never lets me do stuff like this."

"She does that so you don't get hurt, kiddo. That's why we told her we we're going for a walk around Sanctuary _instead_ of firing a deadly weapon that could easily rip through someone's head."

" _Oh,"_ Nat added. "Can I at least touch the spike?"

Jack shook his head. "These spikes have been lyin' around for years, they're all rusty. If you've got a cut on your hand, you'll easily get an infection," he explained. "Besides, this damn thing hit the tree and bent the point. Perhaps when you get a little older you can shoot it, if you'd like. But for now, I'd stay away from both the spikes and this rifle unless I'm around."

"Can you fire it again?"

"Sure, kid," Jack gladly answered, firing the rifle at the target once more. The spike hit the bullseye straight on. "I'm good, ain't I?"

"I hope you can put that good aim to use, Jack," a rough voice called out.

"Why's that, Dad?" Jack replied, turning his head to the direction of his father.

"Gunners. One of your Minutemen came back from a scout patrol and informed us that they were on their way," he explained. "Said that there was a hooded man with a gas mask leadin' em."

 _Gunners? What do they want?_ "Start preparing. Whatever it is they're here for, they intend to hit hard." His father nodded before walking off. "Nat, I need you to go inside with Piper, alright?"

"Wait- your dad is a _ghoul?_ " she asked, a confused look on her face.

"I'll explain later just- just go inside with Piper. We don't need you getting kidnapped _again,_ " Jack told her, pulling on his coat. Nat nodded and hurried to the house. He grabbed his M1 Garand that he left resting beside the railway rifle, loading ammo into it. It made the usual _shhick_ noise it made as he fed the ammo clip into the rifle. By the time he joined the other Minutemen and his father, the Gunners were already storming the bridge.

"Where's Mom? Shouldn't she be out here?" Jack asked, perching his rifle against one of the blockades.

"She's too occupied with her own bullshit to get out here and fight with us," his father responded.

"Of course," he spoke to himself, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Not much has changed with her, I guess. Except for becoming more bitter…" Jack shook his head. He wasn't going to let the thoughts of his ignorant mother seep into his skull.

 _Well, you know you're just going to let it weigh you down either way, Killer._

 _Shut up. You're just a ghost lingering in my mind._

Jack had gotten so distracted by his thoughts that he didn't even realize the battle had already begun. Bullets and lasers flew past his head while muffled screaming and shouting finally reached his eardrums. His father whom was standing next to him, was barking orders to other Minutemen. _So, that's where I got my natural leader instincts from…._

"Jack! What are you doin' standin' still? You're gonna get shot!" his father shouted.

Shaking his head, he replied with a mumbled, "right." It wasn't too long before the _General Schmidt_ in him started to kick in, and he was also barking orders like he was back in China, ordering his men to do as he said. Yet, he was no general. He was just some pre-war vault dweller with horrible coping mechanisms and a war-riddled soldier who needed a damn break. But he still fired at the enemy, still bellowed at his men to _take cover,_ or _fire here,_ or _focus your fire on the left._ The whole battle seemed like a blur to him as he shot at the aggressive Gunners.

 _C'mon, Jack. Focus. You're a soldier. Act like one._

 _Couldn't have said it better myself._

His vision blurred as a bullet grazed his shoulder, causing him to tightly close his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, he was in China, surrounded by men in combat armor and power armor. The American flag that represented the twelve commonwealths was plastered on the front of combat armor's chests. The sky had turned an intimidating and gross-looking brownish grey color. Smoke filled the air along with the bullets of the enemies. One bullet made its way to his stomach, and as it pierced his own combat armor, the world around him flashed back to Sanctuary. Looking down, he realized he had not been shot at all, but _stabbed_. As he looked up, he came face to face with a man wearing a hood and gas mask, his eyes a deep icy green color. The man laughed in his face as he pulled the knife from his abdomen.

Finally coming to his senses, Jack pulled his pistol out of its holster and shoved it into the man's stomach, pulling the trigger. To his surprise, the bullet didn't seem to faze him whatsoever. He only gained laughter in return before he clobbered him with a strong right fist.

"No skill," the hooded man laughed. Jack threw his own punch at this man who seemed to be a super soldier, only to get blocked. He grabbed his fist, twisting his arm. "You try to inflict pain on me. And yet, you fail." The voice that spoke sent chills down his spine. It was a cold, deep, berating voice.

"Who are you?" Jack asked, looking at the green, chilling ice that was his eyes.

"Who am I… Who am I?!" he exclaimed, emitting more laughter and twisting his arm even further. "I am a monument to all your sins."

 _C'mon, Killer. You can take this fool._

Jack pulled his old knife from his boot and pierced the hooded man's chest. He stumbled back in pain, ripping the blade from his chest-piece. The blade broke, leaving one part of it still in his chest. He leapt at the hooded man, throwing multiple punches, all to be blocked. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack caught sight of the fool who had somehow become his inner voice. That same chilling smile he had the day him and Piper killed him was on the monster's face- a smile he sought to wipe off Pickman's face so badly. At the distraction, the hooded man reeled back a solid fist, hitting him so hard that he fell to the ground.

 _Even after he's gone and dead,_ Jack thought. _Pickman still manages to screw me over._

He jumped back up to his feet, cracking his knuckles before slugging the hooded man in the face and in the throat, causing him to cough uncontrollably for a moment. Having the upper hand, Jack grabbed the man by his hood and brought his knee to his gas mask. The hooded man, while Jack was off guard, landed a kick to his already injured abdomen. Doubling over, the man who seemed to not experience any pain threw a right hook, hit him square in the side of the head. His vision blurred as he fell to the ground, writhing in pain. The only thing he could make out was his father attempting to knock the man off his feet. It was at this moment he realized that this man's right arm shone in the sunlight of the morning. His entire arm was a clean chrome color with gears replacing his elbow. Was that… a robotic arm?

Blinking again to clear his vision, he realized his eyes were not deceiving him. The chrome hand of this odd man gripped the neck of his ghoulish father, the other hand occupied with a knife that shone as much as his arm. The knife twirled in his hand, followed by a disgusting _shink_ sound. Jack got back onto his feet despite the aching pain in his head and abdomen. He grabbed the cyborg-ish man from behind, locking his hands around his head and chin. With a swift motion, twisted his head to the side. He could hear a crack coming from his neck as he fell to the ground. He rushed to his father's side, concealing the open wound in his stomach with a gloved hand.

"Dad, stay with me," Jack said, keeping his composure despite the situation. He pulled a stimpack out of his bag, shoving the needle of the healing chem into the wound. With speed, he grabbed as much gauze and bandages as needed and went to work.

"I-I'm with ya," he manages to get out, his head falling to the side slightly.

"Come on, Edward," Jack whispered, using his father's real name- something he didn't do often. "You're a soldier! Come on, fight the pain."

He straightened up, much to Jack's relief. "I ain't goin' nowhere, son."

"Good, because I need you to tough this out. I'm going to have to pack the wound- it's pretty deep." His father nodded, digging his fingertips into the soil beneath them. _Dammit, why couldn't you have just worn armor like everyone else? Could've made this so much easier for the both of us._ He grabbed the gauze and began stuffing it into the wound in his stomach. The stab wounds Jack had experienced in the past, and even now, weren't as deep as the one his father had just experienced.

His father grunted in pain, forcing Jack to wince. To see his own father so weak broke him. Jack grew up, knowing that the man before him was a stonewall- like that damned general who fought for the Confederacy during the civil war, Stonewall Jackson. Edward never crumbled, but today was that day. He continued packing the wound despite his father's groans and shouts of discomfort. His gloved fingers were covered in blood. He was never a squeamish person, but the sight nearly made him gag. Perhaps it was because it was his own goddamn _father,_ or because there was so much blood spilling out of his wound.

"Alright, one last push. Hang tight," Jack reassured him. He pushed the final piece of gauze into the wound with his fingers before sealing it with a bandage. "There. You know, I'm glad you made me take that medic class in college."

No response.

"Father?" he called out, his breath becoming shaky. He watched his chest rise and fall, still breathing. He lightly tapped the ghoul on the side of the face, trying to wake him up. In response, he got a low grunt from him and his eyes slowly opened. Jack let out a sigh of relief. Standing up, he went to help his father, only to be grabbed from behind by a cold hand. The steel hand pulled him back, throwing him to the ground. As he got a good look at who it was, he realized it was the hooded man, _still_ fighting. _I thought I killed you!_

The cyborg-ish man reached for his pistol that resided on his hip. It flew into his hand as if it had a magnetic pull, and aimed it at his father. _Do something, Jackson! Don't just sit there and watch as he murders the only good family you have left!_

He reached for his pistol and fired an entire round into his back just as the man fired. The bullet that was intended for Jack's father missed and ricocheted off the barricade he was leaning against. The round barely fazed the man as he turned around, lacing his cold metal fingers around his throat. "You think me defeated?"the man spat. As he began to feel weaker with every second that passed, Jack growled in response. An unknown anger burned in his throat as the roar-like snarl escaped his mouth. The man gave him a look of disapproval and confusion, buying him enough time to pull out his other knife and stab him in the eye. It was enough for him to release his grip on his throat.

Falling to the ground, Jack gasped for air. Once he recovered, he grabbed a hunting rifle that lay discarded on the ground. Aiming it at his back, he fired multiple times. The bullets affected him this time, causing him to fall to the ground and shout in pain. It didn't last long, though, for he quickly recovered despite the holes that resided in his chest. This man was definitely some kind of super soldier. He grabbed Jack's hunting rifle and snapped it in half, throwing it to the side.

"You're going to _burn_ for what you did to me, Jack," the man snarled.

"What in the goddamn are you talking about?"

"Does this bring back any memories?" he asked, as a small flamethrower retracted out from his metal arm, shooting fire. Jack ducked out of the way, staring at him in disbelief. _How the hell...?_ "I have lived to see death and destruction. And I will live to see your demise."

 _Wait._ He remembered seeing those icy green eyes from somewhere. "You…. You were at Gunner Plaza. The day I came in and nuked all the Gunners after I killed Kellogg."

"That's right. Your destruction of my friends costed me my arm. And now you're going to pay for it," he growled as the flames spat out of the small flamethrower mounted on his arm. Jack jumped back before the flames could reach him. While the flames died out for a moment, he kicked the vengeful man with a roundhouse kick, sending him backwards. He advanced towards him again, activating his flamethrower, only to have Jack lock it with his arm. He tried to incinerate him again, to no avail as he locked it again. He kicks the man in the chest and pushes him away, doing a back flip and landing on his feet in the process.

"I u-underestimated you," the vengeful cyborg growled as he stood up. "But let it be known, that as long as I'm still standing, this won't be over. I will be the one who sees you fall. As long as I still breath, you are as good as dead!"

With that, the cyborg pressed a button on his arm, and he was zapped away by what seemed to be a teleporter.

"Goddammit," Jack grunted as he pressed a hand to his head. He watched as the remaining Gunners around him all began to retreat. All of a sudden, he felt pain explode in the right side of his chest, and then, black.

 _Dead, alive, dead…_


	45. 45

**[-UNKNOWN – MARCH 20** **th** **, 2288-]**

The cyborg man's boots clattered against the floor with every step he took through the hallways. God, he hated being here, but what choice did the man have? He was lucky he even _survived_ the blast that _he_ caused. His parents were dead long before everything, and his friends and neighbors were slain right in front of him by the very people he ending up joining. The Gunners were never a right choice for him; not at all. But he didn't fit in anywhere else, so he joined those who destroyed everything he knew. _Can't beat em, join em._ That was what he always lived by. And it was still true.

He dragged his metal hand across the wall, remembering how long it took for him to feel things with his hand again after getting the robotic arm. The cyborg had to admit that getting the implants and a new arm was extremely beneficial. He could definitely pack an even harder punch than before. Nothing in his way could _ever_ stop him, and that kind of power was what he needed. The record books that his boss had shown him proved how lethal and solid his enemy was- leading the Minutemen, entering the Institute, and killing those two nasty mercs that were his competition. He had seen the pre-war vault dweller's strength with his own eyes, of course. If he hadn't witnessed it himself, he would have no need for a robotic arm and wouldn't be a mercenary.

The doors slid open, revealing the conference room where his boss stood at one end of the table. "Welcome back," his employer spoke. The cyborg pulled off his gas mask, placing it on the table. "Uh… Your eye… it's-"

"I am aware," the cyborg growled. If it weren't for the enhancements, he'd be in complete agony. "Jack knows of my existence."

"Good," his boss replied, stroking his grey beard. "But if you wish to kill him, please do wait."

"Why is that?"

"Do not question me, Bishop. That is for a reason that you will not be able to comprehend," his employer explained.

"You're crazy, old man."

"Perhaps I am," the old man spoke. "But no great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness."

Bishop rolled his remaining eye at his employer. "I guess you have a point."

"Good. You'll learn soon enough," the old man said. He pressed the button on the table and leaned over in front of the microphone. "Bring a transport unit to the conference room and escort Mr. Montgomery to Medical." A robotic voice replied, and Bishop's boss thanked them. "They should be able to do something about that eye of yours."

 **[-SANCTUARY – MARCH 22** **nd** **, 2288-]**

Piper laid her head down on her own arm, leaning on Jack's bed. She watched his chest rise and then fall as he slept. The first thing she was going to do when he woke up was carefully hug him, and then lecture him about how he worried her beyond belief. Piper looked over at Jack's father who rested in his own bed, breathing at the same pace as her Blue. _Like father, like son, I suppose._ She rested her hand on his cold one before gripping it tightly. He was always cold, but it came as a surprise to her every time she locked hands with him. His normal body temperature had dropped a degree or two due to being in that vault for so long. As much as she absolutely hated being cold, Piper enjoyed the conflicted feeling of his cold hand on her warm one. It was a secure, comforting feeling- one she'd get during the winter days in Diamond City; going to the comforts of her warm, cozy house after being out in the disorientating cold all day long.

But as Jack's mother walked through the door, her own blood turned icy cold.

Immediately sitting up and pulling her hand away from her Blue's, Piper wiped down her trench coat. She watched as the living embodiment of hell sauntered over to her husband and grabbed his hand. Piper resisted the urge to call her out on her corruptness. But she was a reporter. How could she resist? It was her job to expose corruptness- a muckraker, McDonough had called her, only for Jack to explain it later. This was right down her alley.

Piper watched as Curie hovered in, taking notes as the robot and mother interacted. "Hello, madame! Are you this man's wife?"

"Yes, I am. Call me Elizabeth, please," Jack's mother told her. Piper felt only disgust as she watched. It was two days after he was stabbed by a damn cyborg, and his wife only came now. _How self-centered._

"His stab wound was extremely deep. If it weren't for monsieur Jack, your husband would have died of fatal wounds," Curie explained. _Oh, Curie. Mentioning Jack isn't a good idea._

"How long until he's healed?"

"Monsieur Edward will have to rest for about two weeks. I will watch over him for the time being," Curie explained.

"Is there any way you can speed up the healing process?" she asked, a hand on her hip.

"I am afraid not, madame. He needs his rest in order to properly and fully heal."

The ghoulish mother sighed. "Fine."

"What is the rush, if I may ask?"

"We're leaving for Goodneighbor soon," she explained. "This place is not for us." _She's just going to leave her only remaining child?_

"I see. Perhaps you could stay a little longer, then?"

"Guess so. Got no choice, do I?" the ghoul mother mumbled, crossing her arms.

Curie hovered over to Jack's side and began replacing the bandage that covered his wound. "Has monsieur Jack woken up at all since the previous time?"

"No," Piper informed her, shaking her head. "He's been asleep since three last night."

"Good!" Curie exclaimed. "He needs all the rest he can get! If he wakes up, please let me know." Piper nodded in response. As Curie hovered away, she ran her fingers through her Blue's hair. She didn't care that it was matted and tangled, or that his mother was in the room. And Piper knew that standing up to her wasn't the best choice she would make, but it was better than letting the love of her life suffer because of his mother. She wasn't going to stand by idly while he took whatever bullshit his mother had to say.

After waiting for what seemed like forever, Piper finally spoke up. "Do you even care?"

"Pardon?"

"Do you even care?" Piper said again, standing up. "About your son, I mean. Jack."

"What in sam hell makes you think I don't care about my only living child?" Mother Schmidt shot back, the venom in her voice obvious.

"Oh, I don't know," she began, crossing her arms. "Maybe because of the way you put him down the other day? It was his late wife's goddamn _birthday._ And you made him feel awful."

"I would never do that to my boy!"

"Oh, really?" Piper raised her voice. She felt disgust and anger burn inside her chest. _Why deny it? It would be much more mature to admit it and change then deny it!_ "Have you seen how he acts around you? He's _scared_ of you! And you don't even seem to care!"

"I do care!"

"Then you need to fucking act like you care! He just got shot in the damn chest, and he has been conscious for about five hours in the past two damn days!" Piper exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. Oh, she was furious now. "If you cared, you would have been there the moment he was shot."

"I-I was busy," Jack's mother tried to make an excuse, looking down at her feet. _How does it feel for someone to make you feel bad about something you did, huh?_ "I-I uh, I was-"

"That's no damn excuse! No mother would neglect their child like that if they were hurt," Piper snapped at her. "How about you start treating Jack the correct way like an actual mother?"

By now, they were only a few feet away from each other. "Don't you dare teach me how to be a mother! I doubt you even know anything about-"

"God, give me the patience," Piper mumbled under her breath, clenching her fists. "I have spent the last ten goddamn years raising my little sister, and not _once_ in her entire damn life have I made her feel bad about herself or the things she believes in. When our mother walked out on us, I became not just her sister, but her parent, too. And if you think for one second that you're a better parent than I am, you've got it _all_ wrong."

Piper could see that she was at a loss for words. "That's what I thought."

 **[-]**

 _Alive, dead, alive. Alive? Yeah, alive._

Jack awoke to the sounds of two familiar feminine voices bickering back and forth. He tore his gaze from the ceiling and to the two women in the middle of the room. To his horror, he watched on as Piper and his mother argued back and forth. He knew that this day would come, but he didn't expect it to be so soon. He closed his eyes and listened to their arguing.

"Not only did you wait two damn days to check on your son," he heard Piper begin. "You waited two days to check up on your own husband who was near death, _and_ was saved by your son."

"It's not like Jack is any better parent than I am," his mother hissed at Piper. "He let his son become the head of the Institute!"

 _God,_ Jack thought. _That fucking hurt._ "Don't you _dare_ bring Shaun into this," Piper snarled. "Jack can't do anything about that. But you could change!"

"I don't need to-"

"You know, maybe you going to Goodneighbor is a good thing! That way he doesn't need to suffer more than he already has!"

Jack had had enough, and he had questions. He sat up despite the pain in his chest from the bullet. He couldn't help the shaky, strained voice that escaped his throat. "M-Mother, you're leaving?"

"Look at him," Piper began, motioning to Jack. "He's riddled with anxiety and fear because of you." At that, the two began arguing again.

God, he knew these two wouldn't get along. Jack slowly emerged from the bed that had been his personal jail cell for two days. "Would you two _shut up!"_ He hated to raise his voice, but he had no other choice. They both looked his way, anger in both women's eyes. "Piper, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Her eyes softened at hearing his request. "Yeah, uh, sure." Jack threw on his grey shirt before following Piper outside.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? I told you, she'd tear you apart," Jack started, his voice still strained and gravely.

"Well what the hell was I supposed to do?" Piper fought back. "Let your mother ruin you? You've already gone down the road of doubting yourself and you and me both don't need or want you going down that damn road again."

"Piper, I don't need you fighting my battles for me," Jack growled, his brows furrowing.

"Then why aren't you fighting them yourself?" Piper questioned, resting her gloved hand on her hip.

An awkward few seconds of silence passed before Jack gave her an answer. "I don't want to talk about this anymore, Piper," he told her before walking off.

"Oh, what, and I do? You were the one who called me out here!" Piper hissed. "And don't you dare walk away from me. We're not done here."

"What the hell do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me that you're going to stand up for yourself! I hate seeing the way your mother treats you, Jackson," Piper answered him.

"Don't call me that," Jack mumbled under his breath.

"Your mother has no right to-"

"She's right, Piper! Everything she says is right!" Jack snapped, throwing his hands in the air as he turned around to face his lover. "I can't compete against her when everything she says is the truth!"

"What do you mean by that?"

"She was right," Jack reiterated, letting go of a shaky breath. "About the parent thing. I'm no better than she is, Piper. I let my only son slip from my grasp and become the head of the Institute."

"Wait- you were awake for that?" Piper asked, confusion on her face.

"Yes," he gave her an answer.

"God, Blue… I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Jack put down her apology.

"Blue, you had absolutely _no_ control over that," she began. "You need to prove her wrong. Or this… thing won't get better."

"Save it, Piper."

"I'm not gonna save it-"

"Fine!" Jack exclaimed, running his hand through his hair.

"Fine," Piper shot back, crossing her arms and putting all her weight on one foot.

"Fine!"

"FINE!"

"Fine," Jack finally gave up with the arguing as he turned around on his heel, grabbing his jacket and heading down to the Red Rocket truck stop.

 **[-]**

The sky was slowly falling into darkness as Jack climbed onto the roof of the truck stop. His hands were as cold as the evening air as he reached into his jacket's pocket, pulling out an all too familiar holotape. Jack hated himself for keeping the damn thing, but it was the only thing he had left of the one he loved. Sometimes, he just wanted to forget about her. He wanted to just flip a switch in his mind that would erase any sort of memory he had of his pre-war life. Yet there was no such thing, and he would be forced to suffer until his memory gave out.

Jack slipped the holotape into his pip-boy. He needed to hear her voice again. He needed to hear her say he was a great father again.

The feedback noise played followed by Nora's laughter, and then Shaun's. _"No, no, no. Little fingers away. There we go, just say it. Right there, go ahead."_ Shaun's giggles and baby noises made the old soldier smile. _"Yay! Hi honey!"_

" _Listen, I don't think Shaun and I need to tell you how great of a father you are… but we're going to anyway."_

"Thank you," Jack whispered aloud to nobody except himself. "I needed that." He let the tape continue as he struggled to hold back a few threatening tears.

" _You're kind, and loving, and funny. And… patient. Patience of a saint, as my mom used to say."_

Jack laughed to himself, blinking away the tears. "My dear, that patience is long gone." He spoke as if the recording of Nora could hear him.

" _Look, with Shaun and us all being home together… It's been a wonderful year. Even so, our best days are yet to come."_ Oh, how Jack wished those days would have come. _"There will be changes, sure."_

"You have no idea," Jack spoke again to the voice on the holotape. "You have no damn idea, N."

" _Things we'll need to adjust to. You'll rejoin the civilian workforce, I'll shake the dust off my law degree… But no matter what we do, no matter how hard, we do it for our family. Now say goodbye, Shaun. Bye bye? Say bye bye?"_ Shaun giggled in response. _"Bye honey! We love you."_

As the tape cut out, Jack ejected it from his pip-boy. "Please, don't say goodbye," he spoke, his voice raspy and filled with emotion. "I always hated goodbyes." _You just aren't here right now._ His attempt to keep a cool head failed as a violent sob escaped his throat. "You're not gone. You're not dead. You're not here right now."

Jack knew deep down that no amount of self-convincing would bring her back. Nothing would be able to fix the broken world he lived in. Nothing would be able to erase all the wrong he has done or the choices he made. There was nothing Jack could do to make up for all of those damn wasted years he could have spent raising Shaun the correct way. And he blamed himself for it. _You let them kill Nora. You let them take Shaun and you let them taint his ideals and thoughts. You're a horrible father and husband. You could have stopped all of it from happening._

 _But you let your mother poison your thoughts for so long._

 _So, what? She's right about it anyways._

He needed to drown himself in something, to drown his thoughts. With shaky hands, Jack turned on the radio that sat next to him. The voice of the host echoed in his ears as he advertised his radio station and then gave a PSA about synths, followed by the familiar rift of an Ink Spots song that calmed him down for a moment.

 _Waking skies at sunrise, every sunset too, seems to be bringing me memories of you._

 _Here and there, everywhere, scenes that we once knew. And they all just recall memories of you._

 _How I wish I could forget those happy yesteryears that have left our rosary of tears._

 _Your face beams in my dreams spite of all I do. Everything seems to bring memories of you._

"Goddammit," Jack cursed, his breath visible in the air. In a swift fit of rage, he kicked the radio off the roof and watched as it smashed below. "Great timing… great fucking timing!" He broke out into more sobs as he pulled his knees up to his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Forgive me, oh God, please forgive me. I never wanted this, I never asked for this."

He didn't know who he was talking to. Perhaps he was talking to God, or anyone who would listen to him. He just wanted someone to listen to him- anyone.


	46. 46

**[-JACK'S OLD HOME, SANCTUARY – MARCH 28** **th** **, 2288-]**

" _Hi honey!"_

"… _how great of a father you are…"_

" _So patient."_

" _It's been an amazing year…"_

"… _I know our best days are yet to come."_

" _There will be changes… things we'll need to adjust to."_

"… _everything we do, no matter how hard, we do it for our family."_

" _Bye, honey."_

"Could ya quit replayin' that over and over again, boss?" MacCready complained, leaning in through the window. His voice rings in Jack's ear, and his head starts pounding with a headache. It's the only real voice he's heard in a few days. "You've been sitting there for, what, two days? Have you even eaten anything?"

 _Great observation, Mac._ "Why are you listening to it if its bothering you?" Jack asked, avoiding his question.

"I _have_ to listen to it, Schmidt," Mac said as he pulled his cap off and scratched his head before replacing it. "You were the one who put the farm behind your house and asked me to work on it."

 _She loved gardening._ "I'm fine, Mac. Don't worry about me." _Oh-oh yes, I'm the great the great pretender, pretending that I'm doing well. My need is such I pretend too much, I'm lonely but no one can tell._

MacCready sighed. "Yeah, totally. You're definitely fine," MacCready hissed, sarcasm in his tone of voice. "I've heard that one before. Listen, I know you've lied before and you're pretty good at it, but at least come up with something original and believable next time."

Jack gave no reply. "How many times have you told someone you were fine, but you really weren't, Jack?" _Yes, I'm the great pretender, just laughin' and gay like a clown._ _I seem to be what I'm not, you see. I'm wearing my heart like a crown, pretending that you're still around._

He sat silent, his head lowering as he stared at his hands. They were split open from excessive use, and the scar on his left hand from almost two months prior was slightly faded. "Mac, I said I was fine. I got shot in the chest a week ago, big deal. I'm nearly healed up now."

"That isn't what I meant," MacCready shot back. Jack only shook his head as he popped the holotape out of his pip-boy.

"Could we not argue about this, Mac? I've heard enough arguing in the past week."

MacCready raised an eyebrow at what he said. "When was the last time you talked to Piper? She mentioned that you guys had an argument."

"The… t-the last time we talked was that argument," Jack hesitated, rolling the holotape around in his hands to occupy himself.

"Are you serious?" MacCready questioned before sighing and dragging a hand across his face. "And I'm guessing you haven't thought about talking to her about whatever the hell it was you two argued about?"

He only shook his head in response as he traced the scars on his left hand and the ones that went up his arm. "Jack, don't let one argument be the downfall of your relationship," Mac started. "I've seen you two. What you've got? That's unconditional. And having that sort of bond with someone is the most important thing you've got out here. Trust me, I would know."

Ignoring MacCready, Jack grabbed his jacket and draped it around his frame. "Where the he- heck are you going?"

"I'll be back," he shot at the mercenary as he holstered his pistol.

"You better talk to her, Jack," MacCready told him as Jack left the house.

 **[-]**

 _I will tell you what I can_

 _But your mind will take a stand_

 _I sing of a greater love_

 _Let me know when you've had enough._

 **[-Clear – twenty one pilots-]**

"C'mon," Elizabeth urged her husband. "We need to get going, Edward."

The conversation between Jack's mother and father sparked his interest. He knew that they were apparently supposed to be leaving for Goodneigbor soon, but didn't expect them to be leaving _now._ His father grumbled in pain as he tried to stand upright. "L-Liz, it hurts to _move._ We need to s-stay."

Jack speedily caught up to his parents, lending his father a hand. "Mother, I don't think making him move around is going to help him get any better," he told her, standing his ground. Elizabeth gave her son a _don't you dare challenge me_ look. "Look, I'm aware you two are going to Goodneighbor. That is not my concern. My concern is if Dad will even _make it_ to Goodneighbor in his condition. Let him rest, Mother."

Elizabeth looked down at the ground in defeat, her deep black hair blowing in the breeze and covering her face. "Fine. We'll stay for a while longer so he can heal." Jack could hear the disgust and disappointment in her coarse voice. He knew that she didn't care about her own husband's welfare. She never truly cared. In the eighteen years that he lived under his parents' roof, Elizabeth cared about herself over her husband and her eldest son. No one ever caught on to how unpleasant she truly was. Jason, nor Sadie ever identified it. And so, they sat in silence. Even when that silence got to him, no one ever noticed.

 _Why won't you stand your damn ground? If you don't you're just going to get even worse, you know._

Pushing his thoughts to the side, Jack helped his father get settled in before returning to his beloved home. The ever-lingering scent of coffee struck him, and gave him a moment of needed amity. Nat resided at the dining table, drawing to her heart's content. He chuckled to himself as he watched her continue for an instant, her tongue sticking out slightly. _She'll be a great artist._

The contentment that remained quickly dissipated. Taking a bottomless and deep breath, Jack stepped into the bedroom. _Get in, grab your stuff, and get out. Nothing more._ Piper sat at her desk, fingers clicking against the terminal's keyboard and eyes focused on the screen.

As he took his riot coat, rifle, and bag, Piper spoke up. "Hey, Jack," she spoke, her voice not sounding the same.

"Hi."

"What, uh… what ya doin'?" she hesitantly asked, running a hand through her hair. _Come on, don't do that. You're making this harder for me, you know._

Slipping on his coat, he gave her a reply without looking directly in her eyes. "I'm going to Med-Tek with MacCready."

"Well, uh, be careful then."

"No promises," Jack mumbled under his breath as he swiftly left the room. Nat no longer sat at the table, and the silence sent chills down his spine. He slung his M1 Garand over his shoulder, his bag slung over his other one. Before he could even step outside the door, a hand on his arm stopped him from going any further. Looking back, he found Piper behind him.

"Blue, we have to talk."

"Something wrong, Piper?" he inquired, knowing damn well that something _was_ wrong. He hadn't talked to her in more than a week and avoided her the entire time. Why would there _not_ be something wrong?

"Don't- don't play stupid with me, Jack," she began, her voice venomous without trying to be. "You know what this is about."

"Fucking hell," Jack mumbled, looking down at his feet and then back at Piper, still not looking directly at her eyes. "I told you the last time, I don't want to talk about this."

"And _I do,_ Jackson. You're-"

"Do not call me that, Piper," he growled as he interrupted her. _Your name, your origin, your childhood. Your misery, your torture, your downfall._ "You don't need to worry about me."

"I don't need to worry about _you?_ Are you hearing yourself? You're the one who ran off for a week and a half, nearly ended up dead, and most recently disappeared to God knows where for about a week!" Piper's voice gradually grew louder. Jack only lowered his head, taking everything that Piper was throwing at him. "You… you can't just run from it, Jack. It will only make it worse."

"What choice do I fucking have, Piper?" he fought back, his voice now increasingly getting louder. "I told you: My mother scares me- she scares _all of us._ I can't go up against her! I can't win with the damn woman!"

 _Are you kidding yourself? You can go up against her! Let your anger burn wildly! You are not your mother's fool._

Jack huffed with stress and anger. "I need to go. MacCready is waiting for me."

"Yeah, go ahead, Jack!" Piper exclaimed as he began to walk out the door. "You're just further proving my damn point!"

 **[-MED-TEK RESEARCH – MARCH 30** **th** **, 2288-]**

"Here we are. Med-Tek Research. I hope Sinclair's information pays off," MacCready said, catching up with Jack. "Let's head inside, and grab that cure. The quicker we are, the faster Duncan gets cured."

"Right. Let's go." As they passed the car that laid at the entrance gate and into the parking lot, multiple feral ghouls stormed the two. "MacCready! Two ghouls, on your six!" He turned around on his heel, and loaded multiple shots into the ghouls' heads. Another one jumped on Jack, causing him to swear as he shoved the point of his knife into the lanky ghoul's abdomen.

"Poor bastards," Jack said as he picked himself up off the ground. "To think they were normal people once." _What, normal like you once were?_

"Yeah, now they're just out for blood," MacCready retorted as he mowed down more ghouls. "No sympathy for 'em now."

As they finished dispatching the ghouls, the two hurried into the building, guns ready. The horrific smell, most likely coming from the ghouls, reached Jack's nose and caused him to almost gag. "Euch, do you smell that?"

MacCready coughed before giving him a reply. "Yeah, i-it's horrid," he told him, shaking his head and covering his nose with his scarf as Jack does the same. "Let's just find that executive terminal, and hope that the password works. It's the only way we can override the facility's lockdown."

They continue through the facility, through the halls and up flights of stairs. Reaching the second floor, the mercenary and the former soldier find more ghouls. The two ducked behind a decrepit desk as swarms of ghouls ran after them. Jack popped out from behind the desk, taking out a few of the ghouls before returning to his hiding spot. As he looked over at MacCready, he noticed him shaking.

"Not again, not again, not again," MacCready mumbled, gripping his shotgun as hard as he could.

"Mac, you alright?" Jack asked before quickly shooting more feral ghouls.

"Huh- what?"

"Are you alright, RJ? You're shakin' like crazy," Jack pointed out.

"Uh- yeah, yeah I'm fine," MacCready lied, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"Yeah, _I've heard that one before. At least come up with something original and believable next time,"_ Jack said, using his own words against him from the two days prior. "Hang in there, Mac."

"Y-Yeah," MacCready stuttered out of anxiety. "Let's just- let's get this done."

"Affirmative," Jack agreed, just as a ghoul jumped over the desk and at him. MacCready quickly loaded a round of shotgun shells into the attacking ghoul before any harm could be done. He reached a hand out to Jack, to which he gladly accepted as MacCready pulled him up off the ground. "Thanks, Mac."

"No problem," he replied, shaking out his hand and taking a deep breath before following Jack. The two climbed up the fallen ramp and on to the next floor. "What the he- erm, heck happened in here? The entire place is trashed," MacCready pointed out as they went through door after door, and killed ghoul after ghoul.

"No shit, eh?" Jack joked, trying to lighten the mood not just for MacCready, but for himself as well. They finally reached the room that contained the executive terminal, and MacCready went right to work as Jack watched his back for him.

"This better fu- flipping work," he mumbled, punching in the password. "Oh, thank god that worked," he sighed with relief, backing away from the terminal. "Let's get to the Sub-Level. That's where the cure should be."

They dropped down onto the floor below them through a hole, and down through another one where they found yet another terminal that opened the maglocks. They passed through the door and into the next room, where multiple ceiling-mounted turrets began firing. With swift and precise shots, Jack easily took out the turrets before using the next terminal to open another security door, revealing more ghouls that they took down with ease.

Jack and MacCready approached yet another flight of stairs that led them to the next area. "We've got to be close," MacCready spoke. In a moment of distraction, a ghoul came up behind him and tore it's claws through his back, leaving tears in his duster. He howled in pain, grabbing Jack's attention.

"Mac!" he shouted as he tackled the ghoul to the ground, piercing it's rugged and rough skin with his knife. After killing the ghoul, he hurried to his friend's side and helped him up, giving him a stimpack. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I should be," he groaned as he stretched. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. We're even now."

The two hurried through the laboratory and to the elevator. Jack pressed the button to open it, allowing MacCready to enter in before him. The rumbling of the elevator triggered Jack's vertigo, and he grabbed onto the handle in response. As the door finally slid open, they were bombarded with more turrets that they easily dispatched with a few shots.

At seeing the mess below them, MacCready said, "What the he-heck was wrong with those doctors? How could they just 'switch off' their morality?"

"The pre-war world was not much different that the post-war one, Mac," Jack added. "I mean, it is in a physical way but… people back then were probably as sick or even sicker than the people you meet today." _Who is it you're talking about? The people of America, or your mother?_

"People were that awful back then?"

 _More so than you fuckin' think._ "Unfortunately," Jack answered. He made his way to the next terminal with MacCready in tow and unlocked yet another set of security doors. They ran down the flight of stairs and another part of the floor that had turned into a ramp, inching ever so closer to their objective. More ghouls tried to overwhelm them, to no avail. Once the ghouls were all cleared, Jack took the moment to loot the room of its valuable items before continuing on through another lab looking area.

"You know, I could never quite wrap my head around this science-y stuff. I don't know how they did it," Mac commented, following his companion to a balcony. They ran down the stairs and Jack hacked another terminal while MacCready stayed alert. As he backed away from the terminal, the door next to him slid open.

They entered the laboratory, dispatching even more ghouls and a Glowing One. "There it is! The cure," MacCready exclaimed pointing to it before grabbing it. "We did it! We fu- flipping did it! We just gave Duncan a fighting chance to live!" _We also gave you a chance to distract yourself from your mother, and make you feel like a hero. Psh._

Jack gave him a high-five before he continued. "I… I don't know how I'm ever going to be able to repay you, Jack. I owe you for this. Big time."

"I dunno," he replied with sarcasm. "You're already running quite the tab, RJ."

He laughed in response. "Heh, I know I am. I'm better at taking then giving, I guess. Perhaps I'll eventually learn to get my priorities straight. Anyway, our last step is to get the cure to Daisy in Goodneighbor. She can get it to Duncan with her caravans on time. This will be the last favor I ask of you. Promise. Now, let's get the hell outta here."

 **[-GOODNEIGHBOR – MARCH 31** **st** **, 2288-]**

"MacCready! Haven't seen you in a long while. You haven't been avoiding me, have ya?" Daisy greeted the mercenary.

"How could I stay away from you, Daisy? I've just been really busy, is all."

"Hmm. So, what did you and your friend over here need?" she asked as she wiped down the counter with a rag that had probably never been cleaned.

"We got it, Dais'. We found the cure we need for Duncan!"

"That's wonderful news!" Daisy exclaimed. "How'd you do it? The last time you went to get it, those ferals almost ripped you to shreds."

"I couldn't have done it alone. My friend, Jack, got me through Med-Tek and helped me find it," MacCready explained, motioning towards Jack, who smiled.

"It was no easy task, but we got it done," he added."

"Just need to get the cure into Duncan's hands. Could you help me?"

"Of course! You've saved my behind multiple times," Daisy began. "It's the least I can do for you in return. I _swear_ I'll get the cure to Duncan."

"We don't have a problem with that, right Mac?" Jack said, to which MacCready nodded and gave a thumbs up.

"Alright, then it's settled. I'll make sure it gets on the first caravan leaving the Commonwealth. The driver owes me more than one favor and he's super reliable. It'll be at your homestead in no time, MacCready."

"Thank you, Daisy. You're a life saver," MacCready told her before leaving the shop. "Hey, Jack, could we talk for a moment before we head back?"

 _Heh. Anything to delay going back to Sanctuary, y'know?_ "Yeah, 'course. What's on your mind?"

"I was thinking about it on the way here and… I think I know how to repay you."

"Mac, you don't have to do that, you know," Jack told him, shaking his head.

"I know, but just let me give you this. If I don't pay you back, it's going to eat at me for the rest of eternity," he explained before reaching into his pouch and pulling out a toy soldier. "I want you to have this. I know a carved toy soldier is a strangle little gift for risking your life, but this… this one is special to me."

"You know what, if it's special to you, than it's special to me," Jack admitted. "Thank you."

"No problem. Just… don't lose it. Lucy gave it to me after we met. I told her I was a soldier and she made it for me. I could never tell her that I was just some merc looking for caps. I couldn't lose her because of what I was," MacCready explained.

"Did she ever figure out?"

"No, she… she died before she figured out. And well, you know that whole story anyways," he answered his inquiry. "God, I miss her. You know, after she died, I thought all hope was lost. But now that we've become friends, that's all changed. You have the world's problems weighted on your back, and here you are, helping me out. So… thank you. It means a lot to me."

"Hey," Jack began. "That's what best friends do, am I right? You helped me out, it's time I return the favor." _Yeah, why haven't you taken his advice from the other day to heart? You're out here, distracting yourself from fixing all the shit back home!_

"I suppose so, Jack," Mac replied with a smile. "So, are you ready to hit the road?"

 **[-SANCTUARY – APRIL 1** **st** **, 2288-]**

 _Alright, Killer, are ya gonna actually stand up to your mother, or chicken out and be a damn coward?_

As MacCready walked to the bar to get a drink and Jack returned to the infirmary to check up on his father, Elizabeth rushed over to him and handed him a note.

"Jackson, thank God you're back," she sighed in relief. _Oh, so now you care? Hm. Odd._ "Y-Your father, he… he wanted me to give you this note. It's for your eyes only."

He gave her an odd look before taking the note and reading it.

" _Jack, forgive me. Your mother… she has pushed me too far to go to Goodneighbor. She wanted to leave because had her suspicions about you and your reporter friend- whether or not you two were a thing or not. Before I continue, just know that I would be fine with it if you two were together. I have and always will be supportive of you and your decisions. But now, she has pushed me too far. Without having my rest, my wounds are now infected. I can't bear the pain anymore. I don't have the same kick as I used to. I'm not the same tough mule that I used to be. I'm sorry, but… it's too painful. Forgive me."_

As Jack stepped over the threshold of the infirmary building, his fear was realized.

His father was dead.


	47. 47

_Reverse psychology is failing miserably, it's so hard to be left all alone_

 _Telling you is the only chance for me, there is nothing left but to turn and face you_

 _When I look into your eyes, there's nothing there to see_

 _Nothing but my own mistakes staring back at me_

 **[P5hng Me A*wy (Reanimation Remix) – Linkin Park]**

 _Ha, April Fools! But it's too bad that isn't a thing anymore, right?_

A wave of vertigo struck Jack like a bolt of lightning striking a barn. He must have forgot Kellogg's pistol and left it next to the bed next to his father's before leaving with MacCready. The pistol laid on the floor below Edward's ghoulified hand, blood smeared across the barrel. After all these years, his father finally snapped. Jack just never expected him to snap in a way he nearly did almost two months prior. He took a deep breath as his eyes slowly shifted to his father's face. He looked almost peaceful in death, despite the grim scene. Blood covered one side of his head and splattered on the wall and pillow.

The former soldier didn't need any more clues. He put two and two together. "No, he… he promised me," Jack mumbled, sounding like a child again. His shoulders slumped, his bag and rifle falling from their position slung over his shoulders. "He promised me… he promised me this wouldn't happen…"

Suddenly, he was brought back to a rainy day in 2061. Jack's mother had been out the entire day with friends, while his father stayed home with him. The flashback was quite an unpleasant one. His father stood at the kitchen sink, knife next to his hand. Jack watched on as his younger self entered the room, his father picking up the knife and twisting it in his hands.

" _Dad, whatcha doin'?"_ fourteen-year old Jack had asked. He wasn't stupid, even then as a reckless, careless teenager.

Jack watched as his younger father quickly put the knife down. _"Oh- uh, nothin'. Just… just admiring the view from the window. Don't worry 'bout me, son."_

 _Admiring the view. Yeah, right._ The scene quickly flashed back to reality- a reality where Jack had to face the horrible truth that his father was dead, and by his own hands. _You are now the Pantaloon._ Jack's greatest idol, the man who he wanted to be like as a child- his father, was actually _dead._ He always saw his father as an immortal figure, one whom could never be slain; and heck, his father sort of was, being a ghoul. _Gods don't bleed._ It didn't seem right. It didn't seem right that after two-hundred years of being a ghoul, that he would go out the way he did. He was supposed to live forever, _dammit._ But things never really work out that way, do they? _This is not what I had planned._

Elizabeth followed him in, her footsteps creaking against the wood floor. His hands began to shake, and nausea began to overwhelm him. _Things definitely don't always work out._ Jack grabbed the pistol off the floor, holstering it. He slowly turned to his mother, trying everyting in his strength to stay standing. "Jackson, I'm… I'm so sorry," Elizabeth's rough voice spoke out, her attempt at sounding genuine failing. "I couldn't- I couldn't stop him, I-I-I tried."

"No, you're not sorry," Jack began, his brows furrowing. "You didn't try to save him. You didn't care. If you cared, if you were sorry, you wouldn't call me by my full name. You wouldn't have pushed my father to ending his own damn life!"

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me, Jackson Schmidt! I am your mother!"

"Yeah? Is a 'mother' to you someone who bullies you?" Jack exclaimed, calling his mother out. "You said you'd be a better parent than your mother. I wish I knew that was all lies! Not only were you a bully, you ruined so many relationships I had with people. You baited Dad, and you targeted only him and I. Apparently, we weren't as good as Sadie and Jason! And do you see where that's got us now, Elizabeth? They're dead! They're all dead! We're the only ones left of this family that has fallen apart!"

Jack pointed a finger at Elizabeth's face, forcing her to back away. Eventually, they were both outside of the infirmary building. The mother wore a look of disbelief on her ghoulish face, the black beads she had for eyes somehow showing fear. Dark clouds covered the previously blue skies, giving the already grim day a more shadowy and unfaithful undertone. He continued to shout, _finally_ standing his ground. He would _not_ be manipulated by his sorry excuse of a mother _ever_ again.

 _Yes! Let your anger and hatred burn! Nothing is stopping you!_

"Y-You know… you know I can't control what I do, Jack!" his mother fought back.

"You having a mental disorder isn't an excuse for your actions," he argued, remembering how she had struggled with bipolar disorder in the past. "You need to take responsibility for your actions. I have. Why can't you be mature about it?"

Elizabeth gave no response. "And what's even worse is that you don't give a _shit_ about how your goddamn actions are affecting me and were affecting Dad," Jack said, starting up again. "He's gone, Elizabeth. He's fucking dead because of you!"

His mother lowered her head in submission, just like Jack had done before. He wiped a few tears from his eyes before continuing. "Why? Why is this a goal of yours to absolutely rip me apart- use my own weaknesses against me? Are you bitter about how my life has turned out compared to yours? Because this has been the lowest you have sunken!"

She looked up at her son, staring directly into his eyes. "The truth?" she asked, getting a nod from Jack. "Yes! Of course! I had to roam the remains of America for two-hundred and ten straight years, while you got to sleep it out!"

"And what, you think I have it so much better than you do?"

"Yes!"

The same thing that broke those two months prior broke once more in Jack's head. In the matter of a second, the very weapon that had taken both his wife and his father was in his hand, the metal nearly touching the rough skin of his mother's forehead. His mother was on the ground, trembling in fear. He heard running footsteps from behind him, but ignored them. Whoever was to challenge him would surely regret interrupting him.

His finger glided over the trigger of Kellogg's pistol. "This pistol has murdered my wife and now my father, and has nearly been the weapon of my own demise. And yet, you say that my life has been so much easier than yours. I'd like to believe it. I'd like to believe it because then I would be spared of the horrors of this damn wasteland, and wouldn't have wasted a week and a half of my time in a damn cellar. I wouldn't have killed so many innocent people, I wouldn't have the need to point this damn gun at your head!" The ghoulish mother at the end of the barrel looked on in horror at her son.

Jack felt a hand grip his arm. His eyes softened at seeing Piper there. She tried speaking to him, tried to get him to lower his pistol, to no avail. "Piper, this is my goddamn fight. Back off."

"No, Jack, I'm not 'backing off.' You've gone way too far with this!"

"Gone too far? What, and Elizabeth hasn't?" Jack argued back at his companion, shifting his attention towards her.

"That's not what I meant-"

"Then what the hell did you mean, Piper? My father is dead because of her! He killed himself because she pushed him way too fucking far! She deserves the same fate!"

"I don't care what the hell happened! You need to calm down. Nothing good is going to come from this," Piper gripped both of his shoulders and turned him towards her, pulling the pistol from his hand. "Please, just… just stop. You're better than this."

Jack took a deep breath, shaking out his hands and shaking his head. "Give me a moment," he told her, taking his pistol back and turning to his mother. "Elizabeth, I have two things left to say to you."

"And that is?"

"One- you need to leave. Go to Goodneighbor, I don't care. If I ever see your face again, though, don't expect sympathy or kindness," he explained to her. "And… one last thing…" Despite his mother, he grabbed Piper by the flaps of her trench coat and kissing her. Their teeth clashed and it was sloppy, but neither of them really cared. Jack's mother looked on in horror, trying to form any type of words but stopping, knowing that anything she would have said would have gotten her head blown clean off. "I think it's about time you go, Elizabeth."

Before she could even stand up to leave, he fired a shot into the ghoulish mother's knee. "Don't come back." Jack holstered his pistol as his mother scrambled to her feet before limping away. A realization washed over him as Elizabeth fled Sanctuary, and a smile grew on his face. He had _finally_ done it. No more fear. No more hesitating, and no more biting his tongue. No more patronization, no more disappointment, no more being what his mother wanted him to be. She no longer had power over him, and it was a weight off Jack's shoulders.

But that moment of triumph would never last forever, as a new weight was put on his shoulders. His father was still dead, and standing his ground wouldn't bring his father back.

Piper kept to herself as Jack returned to his father's bedside. He scooped up his father and slung his light body over his shoulder. _Another body to add to the body count._ Reaching the cemetery, he laid down the body and grabbed two shovels. Jack handed one to Piper, and they both went to work, digging the hole. They lowered Edward's body into the ground, covering it with dirt again and then marking the grave with a makeshift gravestone. Taking out his knife, Jack engraved his father's name into the stone.

"Are you gonna be alright, Blue?" Piper asked as she wrapped her arm around his shoulders.

Jack stared at the letters he had just carved. His father was dead. His eyes shifted from the grave to the blade in his hand. _No. I won't be alright._ "I don't know." _You are now the Pantaloon._

 **[-JACK AND PIPER'S HOME, SANCTUARY – APRIL 6** **th** **, 2288-]**

Piper sat down next to Jack on their shared bed, leaning her head on his shoulder while he wiped down the barrel of Kellogg's pistol. She carefully drew circular patterns into his back to calm him down. "If I had listened to you, maybe my father would still be alive."

The stubborn and snarky part of her wanted to tell him 'I told you so,' but she resisted. His voice trembled as her Blue continued. "You know, my closest friend once told me something. I'll never forget it. Did I ever tell you about my friend?"

"No, I-I don't think you did," Piper said, her ears perking up in intrigue.

"They were my saving grace. We knew each other in school, all the way up through high school until they had to transfer schools," Jack began explaining. His breath was shaky as he rested the pistol on his leg. "Before they left, they told me to never say goodbye. That way, if you don't say goodbye, you'll always come back. You'll always be there. You won't ever be really gone…. You… just aren't here right now."

"You're friend sounds like they were really smart."

"That they were. They really, really were," Jack told her, scratching at an old scar on his hand.

"What does this have to do with your dad, though?" Piper asked with obvious curiosity.

"I've always sort of lived by that," he continued to explain. "But… this time around I… I just wanted more closure, you know? This time I kind of wish I said goodbye. But… it just- it just feels so wrong."

"It's alright to feel that way," Piper began, her voice soft and comforting. "You just gotta… give yourself some time. Recuperate. You might not find the closure you want now, but it'll come to you. Eventually."

Jack gave a half-hearted and empty laugh, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. "I don't know why this getting to me, dammit. I've lost friends and family before, this isn't fucking new to me!"

She could hear he was on the verge of tears. "Jack, you lost your _father_ for crying out loud," Piper said, only realizing after she said it that it was a bit too harsh. She ran her hand through his greasy hair. "Don't beat yourself up. Let it out, if you need to. I'm right here."

He continued to try to speak, but the words only came out as a jumbled mess. He cradled his head in his hands as Piper gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze and continued to draw more random patterns into his back. To see her Blue going through the same thing she had to at only eighteen-years old shattered her heart. _He shouldn't have to go through this._

As Jack's composure continued to falter and fall apart, a realization came to Piper: he didn't just lose his father- he lost the only mother figure he had, too.

* * *

 _Hope you enjoyed this chapter._

 _Purple is going to be on a hiatus for, at the least, two weeks starting on Friday, Februrary 17th. I will be taking the time to rewrite the first 20ish chapters (and posting them on AO3). I hope you do take the time to reread the first 20ish chapters once I have finished rewriting them._


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